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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:16:34 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:16:34 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/1152-0.txt b/1152-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6de319f --- /dev/null +++ b/1152-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8360 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1152 *** + +THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS, (VOLSUNGA SAGA) + +WITH EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA + +By Anonymous + + + +Originally written in Icelandic (Old Norse) in the thirteenth century +A.D., by an unknown hand. However, most of the material is based +substantially on previous works, some centuries older. A few of these +works have been preserved in the collection of Norse poetry known as the +"Poetic Edda". + +The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Story of +the Volsungs", translated by William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson (Walter +Scott Press, London, 1888). + +Douglas B. Killings + + +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +RECOMMENDED READING-- + +Anonymous: "Kudrun", Translated by Marion E. Gibbs & Sidney Johnson +(Garland Pub., New York, 1992). + +Anonymous: "Nibelungenlied", Translated by A.T. Hatto (Penguin Classics, +London, 1962). + +Saxo Grammaticus: "The First Nine Books of the Danish History", +Translated by Oliver Elton (London, 1894; Reissued by the Online +Medieval and Classical Library as E-Text OMACL #28, 1997). + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +It would seem fitting for a Northern folk, deriving the greater and +better part of their speech, laws, and customs from a Northern root, +that the North should be to them, if not a holy land, yet at least +a place more to be regarded than any part of the world beside; that +howsoever their knowledge widened of other men, the faith and deeds of +their forefathers would never lack interest for them, but would always +be kept in remembrance. One cause after another has, however, aided +in turning attention to classic men and lands at the cost of our own +history. Among battles, "every schoolboy" knows the story of Marathon +or Salamis, while it would be hard indeed to find one who did more than +recognise the name, if even that, of the great fights of Hafrsfirth or +Sticklestead. The language and history of Greece and Rome, their laws +and religions, have been always held part of the learning needful to an +educated man, but no trouble has been taken to make him familiar with +his own people or their tongue. Even that Englishman who knew Alfred, +Bede, Caedmon, as well as he knew Plato, Caesar, Cicero, or Pericles, +would be hard bestead were he asked about the great peoples from whom +we sprang; the warring of Harold Fairhair or Saint Olaf; the Viking +(1) kingdoms in these (the British) Western Isles; the settlement of +Iceland, or even of Normandy. The knowledge of all these things would +now be even smaller than it is among us were it not that there was one +land left where the olden learning found refuge and was kept in being. +In England, Germany, and the rest of Europe, what is left of the +traditions of pagan times has been altered in a thousand ways by foreign +influence, even as the peoples and their speech have been by the influx +of foreign blood; but Iceland held to the old tongue that was once the +universal speech of northern folk, and held also the great stores of +tale and poem that are slowly becoming once more the common heritage of +their descendants. The truth, care, and literary beauty of its records; +the varied and strong life shown alike in tale and history; and the +preservation of the old speech, character, and tradition--a people +placed apart as the Icelanders have been--combine to make valuable what +Iceland holds for us. Not before 1770, when Bishop Percy translated +Mallet's "Northern Antiquities", was anything known here of Icelandic, +or its literature. Only within the latter part of this century has it +been studied, and in the brief book-list at the end of this volume may +be seen the little that has been done as yet. It is, however, becoming +ever clearer, and to an increasing number, how supremely important is +Icelandic as a word-hoard to the English-speaking peoples, and that in +its legend, song, and story there is a very mine of noble and pleasant +beauty and high manhood. That which has been done, one may hope, is but +the beginning of a great new birth, that shall give back to our language +and literature all that heedlessness and ignorance bid fair for awhile +to destroy. + +The Scando-Gothic peoples who poured southward and westward over +Europe, to shake empires and found kingdoms, to meet Greek and Roman +in conflict, and levy tribute everywhere, had kept up their +constantly-recruited waves of incursion, until they had raised a barrier +of their own blood. It was their own kin, the sons of earlier +invaders, who stayed the landward march of the Northmen in the time of +Charlemagne. To the Southlands their road by land was henceforth closed. +Then begins the day of the Vikings, who, for two hundred years and more, +"held the world at ransom." Under many and brave leaders they first +of all came round the "Western Isles" (2) toward the end of the eighth +century; soon after they invaded Normandy, and harried the coasts of +France; gradually they lengthened their voyages until there was no shore +of the then known world upon which they were unseen or unfelt. A glance +at English history will show the large part of it they fill, and how +they took tribute from the Anglo-Saxons, who, by the way, were far +nearer kin to them than is usually thought. In Ireland, where the old +civilisation was falling to pieces, they founded kingdoms at Limerick +and Dublin among other places; (3) the last named, of which the first +king, Olaf the White, was traditionally descended of Sigurd the Volsung, +(4) endured even to the English invasion, when it was taken by men of +the same Viking blood a little altered. What effect they produced +upon the natives may be seen from the description given by the unknown +historian of the "Wars of the Gaedhil with the Gaill": "In a word, +although there were an hundred hard-steeled iron heads on one neck, +and an hundred sharp, ready, cool, never-rusting brazen tongues in each +head, and an hundred garrulous, loud, unceasing voices from each tongue, +they could not recount, or narrate, or enumerate, or tell what all the +Gaedhil suffered in common--both men and women, laity and clergy, +old and young, noble and ignoble--of hardship, and of injury, and of +oppression, in every house, from these valiant, wrathful, purely pagan +people. Even though great were this cruelty, oppression, and tyranny, +though numerous were the oft-victorious clans of the many-familied +Erinn; though numerous their kings, and their royal chiefs, and their +princes; though numerous their heroes and champions, and their brave +soldiers, their chiefs of valour and renown and deeds of arms; yet not +one of them was able to give relief, alleviation, or deliverance from +that oppression and tyranny, from the numbers and multitudes, and +the cruelty and the wrath of the brutal, ferocious, furious, untamed, +implacable hordes by whom that oppression was inflicted, because of the +excellence of their polished, ample, treble, heavy, trusty, glittering +corslets; and their hard, strong, valiant swords; and their well-riveted +long spears, and their ready, brilliant arms of valour besides; and +because of the greatness of their achievements and of their deeds, their +bravery, and their valour, their strength, and their venom, and their +ferocity, and because of the excess of their thirst and their hunger for +the brave, fruitful, nobly-inhabited, full of cataracts, rivers, bays, +pure, smooth-plained, sweet grassy land of Erinn"--(pp. 52-53). Some +part of this, however, must be abated, because the chronicler is +exalting the terror-striking enemy that he may still further exalt his +own people, the Dal Cais, who did so much under Brian Boroimhe to check +the inroads of the Northmen. When a book does (5) appear, which has +been announced these ten years past, we shall have more material for +the reconstruction of the life of those times than is now anywhere +accessible. Viking earldoms also were the Orkneys, Faroes, and +Shetlands. So late as 1171, in the reign of Henry II., the year after +Beckett's murder, Earl Sweyn Asleifsson of Orkney, who had long been the +terror of the western seas, "fared a sea-roving" and scoured the western +coast of England, Man, and the east of Ireland, but was killed in an +attack on his kinsmen of Dublin. He had used to go upon a regular plan +that may be taken as typical of the homely manner of most of his like +in their cruising: "Sweyn had in the spring hard work, and made them +lay down very much seed, and looked much after it himself. But when +that toil was ended, he fared away every spring on a viking-voyage, and +harried about among the southern isles and Ireland, and came home after +midsummer. That he called spring-viking. Then he was at home until the +corn-fields were reaped down, and the grain seen to and stored. Then +he fared away on a viking-voyage, and then he did not come home till the +winter was one month off, and that he called his autumn-viking." (6) + +Toward the end of the ninth century Harold Fairhair, either spurred +by the example of Charlemagne, or really prompted, as Snorri Sturluson +tells us, resolved to bring all Norway under him. As Snorri has it in +"Heimskringla": "King Harold sent his men to a girl hight Gyda.... The +king wanted her for his leman; for she was wondrous beautiful but of +high mood withal. Now when the messengers came there and gave their +message to her, she made answer that she would not throw herself away +even to take a king for her husband, who swayed no greater kingdom than +a few districts; 'And methinks,' said she, 'it is a marvel that no king +here in Norway will put all the land under him, after the fashion that +Gorm the Old did in Denmark, or Eric at Upsala.' The messengers deemed +this a dreadfully proud-spoken answer, and asked her what she thought +would come of such an one, for Harold was so mighty a man that his +asking was good enough for her. But although she had replied to their +saying otherwise than they would, they saw no likelihood, for this +while, of bearing her along with them against her will, so they made +ready to fare back again. When they were ready and the folk followed +them out, Gyda said to the messengers--'Now tell to King Harold these my +words:--I will only agree to be his lawful wife upon the condition that +he shall first, for sake of me, put under him the whole of Norway, so +that he may bear sway over that kingdom as freely and fully as King +Eric over the realm of Sweden, or King Gorm over Denmark; for only then, +methinks, can he be called king of a people.' Now his men came back to +King Harold, bringing him the words of the girl, and saying she was so +bold and heedless that she well deserved the king should send a greater +troop of people for her, and put her to some disgrace. Then answered the +king. 'This maid has not spoken or done so much amiss that she should +be punished, but the rather should she be thanked for her words. She has +reminded me,' said he, 'of somewhat that it seems wonderful I did not +think of before. And now,' added he, 'I make the solemn vow, and take +who made me and rules over all things, to witness that never shall I +clip or comb my hair until I have subdued all Norway with scatt, and +duties, and lordships; or, if not, have died in the seeking.' Guttorm +gave great thanks to the king for his oath, saying it was "royal work +fulfilling royal rede." The new and strange government that Harold tried +to enforce--nothing less than the feudal system in a rough guise --which +made those who had hitherto been their own men save at special times, +the king's men at all times, and laid freemen under tax, was withstood +as long as might be by the sturdy Norsemen. It was only by dint of hard +fighting that he slowly won his way, until at Hafrsfirth he finally +crushed all effective opposition. But the discontented, "and they were a +great multitude," fled oversea to the outlands, Iceland, the Faroes, the +Orkneys, and Ireland. The whole coast of Europe, even to Greece and the +shores of the Black Sea, the northern shores of Africa, and the western +part of Asia, felt the effects also. Rolf Pad-th'-hoof, son of Harold's +dear friend Rognvald, made an outlaw for a cattle-raid within the bounds +of the kingdom, betook himself to France, and, with his men, founded a +new people and a dynasty. + +Iceland had been known for a good many years, but its only dwellers had +been Irish Culdees, who sought that lonely land to pray in peace. Now, +however, both from Norway and the Western Isles settlers began to come +in. Aud, widow of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, came, bringing with +her many of mixed blood, for the Gaedhil (pronounced "Gael", Irish) and +the Gaill (pronounced "Gaul", strangers) not only fought furiously, but +made friends firmly, and often intermarried. Indeed, the Westmen were +among the first arrivals, and took the best parts of the island--on its +western shore, appropriately enough. After a time the Vikings who had +settled in the Isles so worried Harold and his kingdom, upon which they +swooped every other while, that he drew together a mighty force, and +fell upon them wheresoever he could find them, and followed them up with +fire and sword; and this he did twice, so that in those lands none could +abide but folk who were content to be his men, however lightly they +might hold their allegiance. Hence it was to Iceland that all turned +who held to the old ways, and for over sixty years from the first comer +there was a stream of hardy men pouring in, with their families and +their belongings, simple yeomen, great and warwise chieftains, rich +landowners, who had left their land "for the overbearing of King +Harold," as the "Landnamabok" (7) has it. "There also we shall escape +the troubling of kings and scoundrels", says the "Vatsdaelasaga". So +much of the best blood left Norway that the king tried to stay the leak +by fines and punishments, but in vain. + +As his ship neared the shore, the new-coming chief would leave it to +the gods as to where he settled. The hallowed pillars of the high seat, +which were carried away from his old abode, were thrown overboard, with +certain rites, and were let drive with wind and wave until they came +ashore. The piece of land which lay next the beach they were flung upon +was then viewed from the nearest hill-summit, and place of the homestead +picked out. Then the land was hallowed by being encircled with fire, +parcelled among the band, and marked out with boundary-signs; the houses +were built, the "town" or home-field walled in, a temple put up, and the +settlement soon assumed shape. In 1100 there were 4500 franklins, making +a population of about 50,000, fully three-fourths of whom had a strong +infusion of Celtic blood in them. The mode of life was, and is, rather +pastoral than aught else. In the 39,200 square miles of the island's +area there are now about 250 acres of cultivated land, and although +there has been much more in times past, the Icelanders have always been +forced to reckon upon flocks and herds as their chief resources, grain +of all kinds, even rye, only growing in a few favoured places, and very +rarely there; the hay, self-sown, being the only certain harvest. On +the coast fishing and fowling were of help, but nine-tenths of the folk +lived by their sheep and cattle. Potatoes, carrots, turnips, and several +kinds of cabbage have, however, been lately grown with success. They +produced their own food and clothing, and could export enough wool, +cloth, horn, dried fish, etc., as enabled them to obtain wood for +building, iron for tools, honey, wine, grain, etc, to the extent of +their simple needs. Life and work was lotted by the seasons and +their changes; outdoor work--fishing, herding, hay-making, and +fuel-getting--filling the long days of summer, while the long, dark +winter was used in weaving and a hundred indoor crafts. The climate is +not so bad as might be expected, seeing that the island touches the +polar circle, the mean temperature at Reykjavik being 39 degrees. + +The religion which the settlers took with them into Iceland--the +ethnic religion of the Norsefolk, which fought its last great fight at +Sticklestead, where Olaf Haraldsson lost his life and won the name of +Saint--was, like all religions, a compound of myths, those which had +survived from savage days, and those which expressed the various degrees +of a growing knowledge of life and better understanding of nature. Some +historians and commentators are still fond of the unscientific method of +taking a later religion, in this case christianity, and writing down all +apparently coincident parts of belief, as having been borrowed from the +christian teachings by the Norsefolk, while all that remain they lump +under some slighting head. Every folk has from the beginning of time +sought to explain the wonders of nature, and has, after its own fashion, +set forth the mysteries of life. The lowest savage, no less than his +more advanced brother, has a philosophy of the universe by which he +solves the world-problem to his own satisfaction, and seeks to reconcile +his conduct with his conception of the nature of things. Now, it is not +to be thought, save by "a priori" reasoners, that such a folk as the +Northmen--a mighty folk, far advanced in the arts of life, imaginative, +literary--should have had no further creed than the totemistic myths +of their primitive state; a state they have wholly left ere they enter +history. Judging from universal analogy, the religion of which record +remains to us was just what might be looked for at the particular stage +of advancement the Northmen had reached. Of course something may have +been gained from contact with other peoples--from the Greeks during the +long years in which the northern races pressed upon their frontier; from +the Irish during the existence of the western viking-kingdoms; but what +I particularly warn young students against is the constant effort of +a certain order of minds to wrest facts into agreement with their pet +theories of religion or what not. The whole tendency of the more modern +investigation shows that the period of myth-transmission is long over +ere history begins. The same confusion of different stages of +myth-making is to be found in the Greek religion, and indeed in those of +all peoples; similar conditions of mind produce similar practices, apart +from all borrowing of ideas and manners; in Greece we find snake-dances, +bear-dances, swimming with sacred pigs, leaping about in imitation of +wolves, dog-feasts, and offering of dogs' flesh to the gods--all of them +practices dating from crude savagery, mingled with ideas of exalted and +noble beauty, but none now, save a bigot, would think of accusing the +Greeks of having stolen all their higher beliefs. Even were some part of +the matter of their myths taken from others, yet the Norsemen have given +their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, and placed them upon a high +level that is all their own. (8) From the prose Edda the following +all too brief statement of the salient points of Norse belief is made +up:--"The first and eldest of gods is hight Allfather; he lives from +all ages, and rules over all his realm, and sways all things great and +small; he smithied heaven and earth, and the lift, and all that belongs +to them; what is most, he made man, and gave him a soul that shall live +and never perish; and all men that are right-minded shall live and be +with himself in Vingolf; but wicked men fare to Hell, and thence into +Niithell, that is beneath in the ninth world. Before the earth ''twas +the morning of time, when yet naught was, nor sand nor sea was +there, nor cooling streams. Earth was not found, nor Heaven above; a +Yawning-gap there was, but grass nowhere.' Many ages ere the earth was +shapen was Niflheim made, but first was that land in the southern sphere +hight Muspell, that burns and blazes, and may not be trodden by those +who are outlandish and have no heritage there. Surtr sits on the border +to guard the land; at the end of the world he will fare forth, and harry +and overcome all the gods and burn the world with fire. Ere the races +were yet mingled, or the folk of men grew, Yawning-gap, which looked +towards the north parts, was filled with thick and heavy ice and +rime, and everywhere within were fog and gusts; but the south side +of Yawning-gap lightened by the sparks and gledes that flew out of +Muspell-heim; as cold arose out of Niflheim and all things grim, so was +that part that looked towards Muspell hot and bright; but Yawning-gap +was as light as windless air, and when the blast of heat met the rime, +so that it melted and dropped and quickened; from those life-drops +there was shaped the likeness of a man, and he was named Ymir; he was +bad, and all his kind; and so it is said, when he slept he fell into a +sweat; then waxed under his left hand a man and a woman, and one of his +feet got a son with the other, and thence cometh the Hrimthursar. The +next thing when the rime dropped was that the cow hight Audhumla was +made of it; but four milk-rivers ran out of her teats, and she fed Ymir; +she licked rime-stones that were salt, and the first day there came at +even, out of the stones, a man's hair, the second day a man's head, the +third day all the man was there. He is named Turi; he was fair of +face, great and mighty; he gat a son named Bor, who took to him Besla, +daughter of Bolthorn, the giant, and they had three sons, Odin, Vili, +and Ve. Bor's sons slew Ymir the giant, but when he fell there ran so +much blood out of his wounds that all the kin of the Hrimthursar were +drowned, save Hvergelmir and his household, who got away in a boat. Then +Bor's sons took Ymir and bore him into the midst of Yawning-gap, and +made of him the earth; of his blood seas and waters, of his flesh earth +was made; they set the earth fast, and laid the sea round about it in +a ring without; of his bones were made rocks; stones and pebbles of his +teeth and jaws and the bones that were broken; they took his skull and +made the lift thereof, and set it up over the earth with four sides, and +under each corner they set dwarfs, and they took his brain and cast it +aloft, and made clouds. They took the sparks and gledes that went loose, +and had been cast out of Muspellheim, and set them in the lift to give +light; they gave resting-places to all fires, and set some in the lift; +some fared free under it, and they gave them a place and shaped their +goings. A wondrous great smithying, and deftly done. The earth is +fashioned round without, and there beyond, round about it lies the deep +sea; and on that sea-strand the gods gave land for an abode to the giant +kind, but within on the earth made they a burg round the world against +restless giants, and for this burg reared they the brows of Ymir, and +called the burg Midgard. The gods went along the sea-strand and found +two stocks, and shaped out of them men; the first gave soul and life, +the second wit and will to move, the third face, hearing, speech, and +eyesight. They gave them clothing and names; the man Ask and the woman +Embla; thence was mankind begotten, to whom an abode was given under +Midgard. Then next Bor's sons made them a burg in the midst of the +world, that is called Asgard; there abode the gods and their kind, and +wrought thence many tidings and feats, both on earth and in the Sky. +Odin, who is hight Allfather, for that he is the father of all men and +sat there in his high seat, seeing over the whole world and each man's +doings, and knew all things that he saw. His wife was called Frigg, and +their offspring is the Asa-stock, who dwell in Asgard and the realms +about it, and all that stock are known to be gods. The daughter and wife +of Odin was Earth, and of her he got Thor, him followed strength and +sturdiness, thereby quells he all things quick; the strongest of all +gods and men, he has also three things of great price, the hammer +Miolnir, the best of strength belts, and when he girds that about him +waxes his god strength one-half, and his iron gloves that he may not +miss for holding his hammer's haft. Balidr is Odin's second son, and +of him it is good to say, he is fair and: bright in face, and hair, and +body, and him all praise; he is wise and fair-spoken and mild, and that +nature is in him none may withstand his doom. Tyr is daring and best of +mood; there is a saw that he is tyrstrong who is before other men and +never yields; he is also so wise that it is said he is tyrlearned who +is wise. Bragi is famous for wisdom, and best in tongue-wit, and cunning +speech, and song-craft. 'And many other are there, good and great; and +one, Loki, fair of face, ill in temper and fickle of mood, is called the +backbiter of the Asa, and speaker of evil redes and shame of all gods +and men; he has above all that craft called sleight, and cheats all +in all things. Among the children of Loki are Fenris-wolf and +Midgards-worm; the second lies about all the world in the deep sea, +holding his tail in his teeth, though some say Thor has slain him; but +Fenris-wolf is bound until the doom of the gods, when gods and men shall +come to an end, and earth and heaven be burnt, when he shall slay Odin. +After this the earth shoots up from the sea, and it is green and fair, +and the fields bear unsown, and gods and men shall be alive again, and +sit in fair halls, and talk of old tales and the tidings that +happened aforetime. The head-seat, or holiest-stead, of the gods is at +Yggdrasil's ash, which is of all trees best and biggest; its boughs are +spread over the whole world and stand above heaven; one root of the ash +is in heaven, and under the root is the right holy spring; there hold +the gods doom every day; the second root is with the Hrimthursar, +where before was Yawning-gap; under that root is Mimir's spring, where +knowledge and wit lie hidden; thither came Allfather and begged a drink, +but got it not before he left his eye in pledge; the third root is +over Niflheim, and the worm Nidhogg gnaws the root beneath. A fair hall +stands under the ash by the spring, and out of it come three maidens, +Norns, named Has-been, Being, Will-be, who shape the lives of men; there +are beside other Norns, who come to every man that is born to shape his +life, and some of these are good and some evil. In the boughs of the +ash sits an eagle, wise in much, and between his eyes sits the hawk +Vedrfalnir; the squirrel Ratatoskr runs up and down along the ash, +bearing words of hate betwixt the eagle and the worm. Those Norns who +abide by the holy spring draw from it every day water, and take the clay +that lies around the well, and sprinkle them up over the ash for that +its boughs should not wither or rot. All those men that have fallen in +the fight, and borne wounds and toil unto death, from the beginning of +the world, are come to Odin in Valhall; a very great throng is there, +and many more shall yet come; the flesh of the boar Soerfmnir is sodden +for them every day, and he is whole again at even; and the mead they +drink that flows from the teats of the she-goat Heidhrun. The meat Odin +has on his board he gives to his two wolves, Geri and Freki, and he +needs no meat, wine is to him both meat and drink; ravens twain sit on +his shoulders, and say into his ear all tidings that they see and hear; +they are called Huginn and Muninn (mind and memory); them sends he at +dawn to fly over the whole world, and they come back at breakfast-tide, +thereby becomes he wise in many tidings, and for this men call him +Raven's-god. Every day, when they have clothed them, the heroes put on +their arms and go out into the yard and fight and fell each other; that +is their play, and when it looks toward mealtime, then ride they home to +Valhall and sit down to drink. For murderers and men forsworn is a great +hall, and a bad, and the doors look northward; it is altogether wrought +of adder-backs like a wattled house, but the worms' heads turn into the +house, and blow venom, so that rivers of venom run along the hall, and +in those rivers must such men wade forever." There was no priest-class; +every chief was priest for his own folk, offered sacrifice, performed +ceremonies, and so on. + +In politics the homestead, with its franklin-owner, was the unit; the +"thing", or hundred-moot, the primal organisation, and the "godord", +or chieftainship, its tie. The chief who had led a band of kinsmen and +followers to the new country, taken possession of land, and shared it +among them, became their head-ruler and priest at home, speaker and +president of their Thing, and their representative in any dealings with +neighbouring chiefs and their clients. He was not a feudal lord, for +any franklin could change his "godord" as he liked, and the right +of "judgment by peers" was in full use. At first there was no higher +organisation than the local thing. A central thing, and a speaker to +speak a single "law" for the whole island, was instituted in 929, and +afterwards the island was divided in four quarters, each with a court, +under the Al-thing. Society was divided only into two classes of men, +the free and unfree, though political power was in the hands of the +franklins alone; "godi" and thrall ate the same food, spoke the same +tongue, wore much the same clothes, and were nearly alike in life and +habits. Among the free men there was equality in all but wealth and the +social standing that cannot be separated therefrom. The thrall was a +serf rather than a slave, and could own a house, etc., of his own. In a +generation or so the freeman or landless retainer, if he got a homestead +of his own, was the peer of the highest in the land. During the tenth +century Greenland was colonised from Iceland, and by end of the same +century christianity was introduced into Iceland, but made at first +little difference in arrangements of society. In the thirteenth century +disputes over the power and jurisdiction of the clergy led, with other +matters, to civil war, ending in submission to Norway, and the breaking +down of all native great houses. Although life under the commonwealth +had been rough and irregular, it had been free and varied, breeding +heroes and men of mark; but the "law and order" now brought in left +all on a dead level of peasant proprietorship, without room for hope +or opening for ambition. An alien governor ruled the island, which +was divided under him into local counties, administered by sheriffs +appointed by the king of Norway. The Al-thing was replaced by a royal +court, the local work of the local things was taken by a subordinate +of the sheriff, and things, quarter-courts, trial by jury, and all the +rest, were swept away to make room for these "improvements", which have +lasted with few changes into this century. In 1380 the island passed +under the rule of Denmark, and so continues. (9) During the fifteenth +century the English trade was the only link between Iceland and the +outer world; the Danish government weakened that link as much as it +could, and sought to shut in and monopolise everything Icelandic; under +the deadening effect of such rule it is no marvel that everything found +a lower level, and many things went out of existence for lack of use. +In the sixteenth century there is little to record but the Reformation, +which did little good, if any, and the ravages of English, Gascon, and +Algerine pirates who made havoc on the coast; (10) they appear toward +the close of the century and disappear early in the seventeenth. In the +eighteenth century small-pox, sheep disease, famine, and the terrible +eruptions of 1765 and 1783, follow one another swiftly and with terrible +effect. At the beginning of the present century Iceland, however, +began to shake off the stupor her ill-hap had brought upon her, and +as European attention had been drawn to her, she was listened to. +Newspapers, periodicals, and a Useful Knowledge Society were started; +then came free trade, and the "home-rule" struggle, which met with +partial success in 1874, and is still being carried on. A colony, Gimli, +in far-off Canada, has been formed of Icelandic emigrants, and large +numbers have left their mother-land; but there are many co-operative +societies organised now, which it is hoped will be able to so revive the +old resources of the island as to make provision for the old population +and ways of life. There is now again a representative central council, +but very many of the old rights and powers have not been yet restored. +The condition of society is peculiar absence of towns, social equality, +no abject poverty or great wealth, rarity of crime, making it easy for +the whole country to be administered as a co-operative commonwealth +without the great and striking changes rendered necessary by more +complicated systems. + +Iceland has always borne a high name for learning and literature; on +both sides of their descent people inherited special poetic power. Some +of older Eddaic fragments attest the great reach and deep overpowering +strength of imagination possessed by their Norse ancestors; and +they themselves had been quickened by a new leaven. During the first +generations of the "land-taking" a great school of poetry which had +arisen among the Norsemen of the Western Isles was brought by them to +Iceland. (11) The poems then produced are quite beyond parallel with +those of any Teutonic language for centuries after their date, which lay +between the beginning of the ninth and the end of the tenth centuries. +Through the Greenland colony also came two, or perhaps more, great poems +of this western school. This school grew out of the stress and storm of +the viking life, with its wild adventure and varied commerce, and the +close contact with an artistic and inventive folk, possessed of high +culture and great learning. The infusion of Celtic blood, however +slight it may have been, had also something to do with the swift intense +feeling and rapidity of passion of the earlier Icelandic poets. They +are hot-headed and hot-hearted, warm, impulsive, quick to quarrel or +to love, faithful, brave; ready with sword or song to battle with all +comers, or to seek adventure wheresoever it might be found. They leave +Iceland young, and wander at their will to different courts of northern +Europe, where they are always held in high honour. Gunnlaug Worm-tongue +(12) in 1004 came to England, after being in Norway, as the saga +says:--"Now sail Gunnlaug and his fellows into the English main, and +come at autumntide south to London Bridge, where they hauled ashore +their ship. Now, at that time King Ethelred, the son of Edgar, ruled +over England, and was a good lord; the winter he sat in London. But +in those days there was the same tongue in England as in Norway and +Denmark; but the tongues changed when William the Bastard won England, +for thenceforward French went current there, for he was of French kin. +Gunnlaug went presently to the king, and greeted him well and worthily. +The king asked him from what land he came, and Gunnlaug told him all as +it was. 'But,' said he, 'I have come to meet thee, lord, for that I have +made a song on thee, and I would that it might please thee to hearken to +that song.' The king said it should be so, and Gunnlaug gave forth the +song well and proudly, and this is the burden thereof-- + + "'As God are all folk fearing + The fire lord King of England, + Kin of all kings and all folk, + To Ethelred the head bow.' + +The king thanked him for the song, and gave him as song-reward a scarlet +cloak lined with the costliest of furs, and golden-broidered down to +the hem; and made him his man; and Gunnlaug was with him all the winter, +and was well accounted of. + +The poems in this volume are part of the wonderful fragments which +are all that remain of ancient Scandinavian poetry. Every piece which +survives has been garnered by Vigfusson and Powell in the volumes of +their "Corpus", where those who seek may find. A long and illustrious +line of poets kept the old traditions, down even to within a couple +centuries, but the earlier great harvest of song was never again +equalled. After christianity had entered Iceland, and that, with other +causes, had quieted men's lives, although the poetry which stood to the +folk in lieu of music did not die away, it lost the exclusive hold it +had upon men's minds. In a time not so stirring, when emotion was not so +fervent or so swift, when there was less to quicken the blood, the story +that had before found no fit expression but in verse, could stretch its +limbs, as it were, and be told in prose. Something of Irish influence +is again felt in this new departure and that marvellous new growth, the +saga, that came from it, but is little more than an influence. Every +people find some one means of expression which more than all else suits +their mood or their powers, and this the Icelanders found in the saga. +This was the life of a hero told in prose, but in set form, after a +regular fashion that unconsciously complied with all epical requirements +but that of verse--simple plot, events in order of time, set phrases for +even the shifting emotion or changeful fortune of a fight or storm, +and careful avoidance of digression, comment, or putting forward by +the narrator of ought but the theme he has in hand; he himself is never +seen. Something in the perfection of the saga is to be traced to the +long winter's evenings, when the whole household, gathered together at +their spinning, weaving, and so on, would listen to one of their number +who told anew some old story of adventure or achievement. In very truth +the saga is a prose epic, and marked by every quality an epic should +possess. Growing up while the deeds of dead heroes were fresh in memory, +most often recited before the sharers in such deeds, the saga, in its +pure form, never goes from what is truth to its teller. Where the saga, +as this one of the Volsungs is founded upon the debris of songs and +poems, even then very old, tales of mythological heroes, of men quite +removed from the personal knowledge of the narrator, yet the story is +so inwound with the tradition of his race, is so much a part of his +thought-life, that every actor in it has for him a real existence. At +the feast or gathering, or by the fireside, as men made nets and women +spun, these tales were told over; in their frequent repetition by men +who believed them, though incident or sequence underwent no change, +they would become closer knit, more coherent, and each an organic whole. +Gradually they would take a regular and accepted form, which would ease +the strain upon the reciter's memory and leave his mind free to adorn +the story with fair devices, that again gave help in the making it +easier to remember, and thus aided in its preservation. After a couple +of generations had rounded and polished the sagas by their telling and +retelling, they were written down for the most part between 1141 and +1220, and so much was their form impressed upon the mind of the folk, +that when learned and literary works appeared, they were written in the +same style; hence we have histories alike of kingdoms, or families, or +miracles, lives of saints, kings, or bishops in saga-form, as well as +subjects that seem at first sight even less hopeful. All sagas that have +yet appeared in English may be found in the book-list at end of this +volume, but they are not a tithe of those that remain. + +Of all the stories kept in being by the saga-tellers and left for our +delight, there is none that so epitomises human experience; has within +the same space so much of nature and of life; so fully the temper and +genius of the Northern folk, as that of the Volsungs and Niblungs, which +has in varied shapes entered into the literature of many lands. In +the beginning there is no doubt that the story belonged to the common +ancestral folk of all the Teutonic of Scando-Gothic peoples in the +earliest days of their wanderings. Whether they came from the Hindu +Kush, or originated in Northern Europe, brought it with them from Asia, +or evolved it among the mountains and rivers it has taken for scenery, +none know nor can; but each branch of their descendants has it in one +form or another, and as the Icelanders were the very crown and flower of +the northern folk, so also the story which is the peculiar heritage of +that folk received in their hands its highest expression and most noble +form. The oldest shape in which we have it is in the Eddaic poems, some +of which date from unnumbered generations before the time to which most +of them are usually ascribed, the time of the viking-kingdoms in the +Western Isles. In these poems the only historical name is that of +Attila, the great Hun leader, who filled so large a part of the +imagination of the people whose power he had broken. There is no doubt +that, in the days when the kingdoms of the Scando-Goths reached from the +North Cape to the Caspian, that some earlier great king performed his +part; but, after the striking career of Attila, he became the recognised +type of a powerful foreign potentate. All the other actors are +mythic-heroic. Of the Eddaic songs only fragments now remain, but +ere they perished there arose from them a saga, that now given to the +readers of this. The so-called Anglo-Saxons brought part of the story to +England in "Beowulf"; in which also appear some incidents that are again +given in the Icelandic saga of "Grettir the Strong". Most widely known +is the form taken by the story in the hands of an unknown medieval +German poet, who, from the broken ballads then surviving wrote the +"Nibelungenlied" or more properly "Nibelungen Not" ("The Need of the +Niblungs"). In this the characters are all renamed, some being more +or less historical actors in mid-European history, as Theodoric of the +East-Goths, for instance. The whole of the earlier part of the story has +disappeared, and though Siegfried (Sigurd) has slain a dragon, there is +nothing to connect it with the fate that follows the treasure; Andvari, +the Volsungs, Fafnir, and Regin are all forgotten; the mythological +features have become faint, and the general air of the whole is that of +medieval romance. The swoard Gram is replaced by Balmung, and the Helm +of Awing by the Tarn-cap--the former with no gain, the latter with great +loss. The curse of Andvari, which in the saga is grimly real, working +itself out with slow, sure steps that no power of god or man can turn +aside, in the medieval poem is but a mere scenic effect, a strain of +mystery and magic, that runs through the changes of the story with +much added picturesqueness, but that has no obvious relation to the +working-out of the plot, or fulfilment of their destiny by the different +characters. Brynhild loses a great deal, and is a poor creature when +compared with herself in the saga; Grimhild and her fateful drink have +gone; Gudrun (Chriemhild) is much more complex, but not more tragic; +one new character, Rudiger, appears as the type of chivalry; but Sigurd +(Siegfred) the central figure, though he has lost by the omission of so +much of his life, is, as before, the embodiment of all the virtues that +were dear to northern hearts. Brave, strong, generous, dignified, and +utterly truthful, he moves amid a tangle of tragic events, overmastered +by a mighty fate, and in life or death is still a hero without stain or +flaw. It is no wonder that he survives to this day in the national songs +of the Faroe Islands and in the folk-ballads of Denmark; that his legend +should have been mingled with northern history through Ragnar Lodbrog, +or southern through Attila and Theodoric; that it should have inspired +William Morris in producing the one great English epic of the century; +(13) and Richard Wagner in the mightiest among his music-dramas. Of the +story as told in the saga there is no need here to speak, for to read +it, as may be done a few pages farther on, is that not better than to +read about it? But it may be urged upon those that are pleased and moved +by the passion and power, the strength and deep truth of it, to find out +more than they now know of the folk among whom it grew, and the land in +which they dwelt. In so doing they will come to see how needful are +a few lessons from the healthy life and speech of those days, to be +applied in the bettering of our own. + +H. HALLIDAY SPARLING. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Viking (Ice. "Vikingr"; "vik", a bay or creek, "ingr", + belonging to, (or men of) freebooters. + (2) "West over the Sea" is the word for the British Isles. + (3) See Todd (J. H.). "War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill". + (4) He was son of Ingiald, son of Thora, daughter of Sigurd + Snake-I'-th'-eye, son of Ragnar Lodbrok by Aslaug, daughter + of Sigurd by Brynhild. The genealogy is, doubtless, quite + mythical. + (5) A Collection of Sagas and other Historical Documents + relating to the Settlements and Descents of the Northmen on + the British Isles. Ed., G. W. Dasent, D.C.L, and Gudbrand + Vigfusson, M.A. "In the Press. Longmans, London. 8vo. + (6) "Orkneyinga Saga". + (7) Landtaking-book--"landnam", landtaking, from "at nema + land", hence also the early settlers were called + "landnamsmenn". + (8) To all interested in the subject of comparative mythology, + Andrew Lang's two admirable books, "Custom and Myth" (1884, + 8vo) and "Myth, Ritual, and Religion" (2 vols., crown 8vo, + 1887), both published by Longmans, London, may be warmly + recommended. + (9) Iceland was granted full independence from Denmark in 1944. + --DBK. + (10) These pirates are always appearing about the same time in + English State papers as plundering along the coasts of the + British Isles, especially Ireland. + (11) For all the old Scandinavian poetry extant in Icelandic, see + "Corpus Poeticum Borealis" of Vigfusson and Powell. + (12) Snake-tongue--so called from his biting satire. + (13) "Sigurd the Volsung", which seems to have become all but + forgotten in this century.--DBK. + + + + +TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. + +In offering to the reader this translation of the most complete and +dramatic form of the great Epic of the North, we lay no claim to special +critical insight, nor do we care to deal at all with vexed questions, +but are content to abide by existing authorities, doing our utmost to +make our rendering close and accurate, and, if it might be so, at the +same time, not over prosaic: it is to the lover of poetry and nature, +rather than to the student, that we appeal to enjoy and wonder at this +great work, now for the first time, strange to say, translated into +English: this must be our excuse for speaking here, as briefly as may +be, of things that will seem to the student over well known to be worth +mentioning, but which may give some ease to the general reader who comes +across our book. + +The prose of the "Volsunga Saga" was composed probably some time in the +twelfth century, from floating traditions no doubt; from songs which, +now lost, were then known, at least in fragments, to the Sagaman; +and finally from songs, which, written down about his time, are still +existing: the greater part of these last the reader will find in this +book, some inserted amongst the prose text by the original story-teller, +and some by the present translators, and the remainder in the latter +part of the book, put together as nearly as may be in the order of the +story, and forming a metrical version of the greater portion of it. + +These Songs from the Elder Edda we will now briefly compare with the +prose of the Volsung Story, premising that these are the only metrical +sources existing of those from which the Sagaman told his tale. + +Except for the short snatch on p. 24 (1) of our translation, nothing is +now left of these till we come to the episode of Helgi Hundings-bane, +Sigurd's half-brother; there are two songs left relating to this, from +which the prose is put together; to a certain extent they cover the same +ground; but the latter half of the second is, wisely as we think, left +untouched by the Sagaman, as its interest is of itself too great not to +encumber the progress of the main story; for the sake of its wonderful +beauty, however, we could not refrain from rendering it, and it will be +found first among the metrical translations that form the second part of +this book. + +Of the next part of the Saga, the deaths of Sinfjotli and Sigmund, and +the journey of Queen Hjordis to the court of King Alf, there is no trace +left of any metrical origin; but we meet the Edda once more where Regin +tells the tale of his kin to Sigurd, and where Sigurd defeats and slays +the sons of Hunding: this lay is known as the "Lay of Regin". + +The short chap. xvi. is abbreviated from a long poem called the +"Prophecy of Gripir" (the Grifir of the Saga), where the whole story +to come is told with some detail, and which certainly, if drawn out at +length into the prose, would have forestalled the interest of the tale. + +In the slaying of the Dragon the Saga adheres very closely to the "Lay +of Fafnir"; for the insertion of the song of the birds to Sigurd the +present translators are responsible. + +Then comes the waking of Brynhild, and her wise redes to Sigurd, taken +from the Lay of Sigrdrifa, the greater part of which, in its metrical +form, is inserted by the Sagaman into his prose; but the stanza relating +Brynhild's awaking we have inserted into the text; the latter part, +omitted in the prose, we have translated for the second part of our +book. + +Of Sigurd at Hlymdale, of Gudrun's dream, the magic potion of Grimhild, +the wedding of Sigurd consequent on that potion; of the wooing of +Brynhild for Gunnar, her marriage to him, of the quarrel of the Queens, +the brooding grief and wrath of Brynhild, and the interview of Sigurd +with her--of all this, the most dramatic and best-considered parts of +the tale, there is now no more left that retains its metrical form than +the few snatches preserved by the Sagaman, though many of the incidents +are alluded to in other poems. + +Chap. xxx. is met by the poem called the "Short Lay of Sigurd", +which, fragmentary apparently at the beginning, gives us something of +Brynhild's awakening wrath and jealousy, the slaying of Sigurd, and the +death of Brynhild herself; this poem we have translated entire. + +The Fragments of the "Lay of Brynhild" are what is left of a poem partly +covering the same ground as this last, but giving a different account +of Sigurd's slaying; it is very incomplete, though the Sagaman has drawn +some incidents from it; the reader will find it translated in our second +part. + +But before the death of the heroine we have inserted entire into the +text as chap. xxxi. the "First Lay of Gudrun", the most lyrical, the +most complete, and the most beautiful of all the Eddaic poems; a +poem that any age or language might count among its most precious +possessions. + +From this point to the end of the Saga it keeps closely to the Songs of +Edda; in chap. xxxii. the Sagaman has rendered into prose the "Ancient +Lay of Gudrun", except for the beginning, which gives again another +account of the death of Sigurd: this lay also we have translated. + +The grand poem, called the "Hell-ride of Brynhild", is not represented +directly by anything in the prose except that the Sagaman has supplied +from it a link or two wanting in the "Lay of Sigrdrifa"; it will be +found translated in our second part. + +The betrayal and slaughter of the Giukings or Niblungs, and the fearful +end of Atli and his sons, and court, are recounted in two lays, called +the "Lays of Atli"; the longest of these, the "Greenland Lay of Atli", +is followed closely by the Sagaman; the Shorter one we have translated. + +The end of Gudrun, of her daughter by Sigurd and of her sons by her last +husband Jonakr, treated of in the last four chapters of the Saga, are +very grandly and poetically given in the songs called the "Whetting of +Gudrun", and the "Lay of Hamdir", which are also among our translations. + +These are all the songs of the Edda which the Sagaman has dealt with; +but one other, the "Lament of Oddrun", we have translated on account of +its intrinsic merit. + +As to the literary quality of this work we in say much, but we think we +may well trust the reader of poetic insight to break through whatever +entanglement of strange manners or unused element may at first trouble +him, and to meet the nature and beauty with which it is filled: we +cannot doubt that such a reader will be intensely touched by finding, +amidst all its wildness and remoteness, such a startling realism, +such subtilty, such close sympathy with all the passions that may move +himself to-day. + +In conclusion, we must again say how strange it seems to us, that this +Volsung Tale, which is in fact an unversified poem, should never before +been translated into English. For this is the Great Story of the +North, which should be to all our race what the Tale of Troy was to the +Greeks--to all our race first, and afterwards, when the change of the +world has made our race nothing more than a name of what has been--a +story too--then should it be to those that come after us no less than +the Tale of Troy has been to us. + +WILLIAM MORRIS and EIRIKR MAGNUSSON. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Chapter viii.--DBK. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS. + + + +CHAPTER I. Of Sigi, the Son of Odin. + +Here begins the tale, and tells of a man who was named Sigi, and called +of men the son of Odin; another man withal is told of in the tale, hight +Skadi, a great man and mighty of his hands; yet was Sigi the mightier +and the higher of kin, according to the speech of men of that time. +Now Skadi had a thrall with whom the story must deal somewhat, Bredi by +name, who was called after that work which he had to do; in prowess and +might of hand he was equal to men who were held more worthy, yea, and +better than some thereof. + +Now it is to be told that, on a time, Sigi fared to the hunting of the +deer, and the thrall with him; and they hunted deer day-long till the +evening; and when they gathered together their prey in the evening, lo, +greater and more by far was that which Bredi had slain than Sigi's prey; +and this thing he much misliked, and he said that great wonder it was +that a very thrall should out-do him in the hunting of deer: so he +fell on him and slew him, and buried the body of him thereafter in a +snow-drift. + +Then he went home at evening tide and says that Bredi had ridden away +from him into the wild-wood. "Soon was he out of my sight," he says, +"and naught more I wot of him." + +Skadi misdoubted the tale of Sigi, and deemed that this was a guile of +his, and that he would have slain Bredi. So he sent men to seek for him, +and to such an end came their seeking, that they found him in a certain +snow-drift; then said Skadi, that men should call that snow-drift +Bredi's Drift from henceforth; and thereafter have folk followed, so +that in such wise they call every drift that is right great. + +Thus it is well seen that Sigi has slain the thrall and murdered him; so +he is given forth to be a wolf in holy places, (1) and may no more abide +in the land with his father; therewith Odin bare him fellowship from the +land, so long a way, that right long it was, and made no stay till he +brought him to certain war-ships. So Sigi falls to lying out a-warring +with the strength that his father gave him or ever they parted; and +happy was he in his warring, and ever prevailed, till he brought +it about that he won by his wars land and lordship at the last; and +thereupon he took to him a noble wife, and became a great and mighty +king, and ruled over the land of the Huns, and was the greatest of +warriors. He had a son by his wife, who was called Refir, who grew up in +his father's house, and soon became great of growth, and shapely. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Wolf in holy places," a man put out of the pale of society + for crimes, an outlaw. + + + +CHAPTER II. Of the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son +of Sigi. + +Now Sigi grew old, and had many to envy him, so that at last those +turned against him whom he trusted most; yea, even the brothers of his +wife; for these fell on him at his unwariest, when there were few +with him to withstand them, and brought so many against him, that they +prevailed against him, and there fell Sigi and all his folk with him. +But Rerir, his son, was not in this trouble, and he brought together so +mighty a strength of his friends and the great men of the land, that +he got to himself both the lands and kingdom of Sigi his father; and so +now, when he deems that the feet under him stand firm in his rule, then +he calls to mind that which he had against his mother's brothers, who +had slain his father. So the king gathers together a mighty army, and +therewith falls on his kinsmen, deeming that if he made their kinship +of small account, yet none the less they had first wrought evil against +him. So he wrought his will herein, in that he departed not from strife +before he had slain all his father's banesmen, though dreadful the deed +seemed in every wise. So now he gets land, lordship, and fee, and is +become a mightier man than his father before him. + +Much wealth won in war gat Rerir to himself, and wedded a wife withal, +such as he deemed meet for him, and long they lived together, but had +no child to take the heritage after them; and ill-content they both were +with that, and prayed the Gods with heart and soul that they might get +them a child. And so it is said that Odin hears their prayer, and Freyia +no less hearkens wherewith they prayed unto her: so she, never lacking +for all good counsel, calls to her her casket-bearing may, (1) the +daughter of Hrimnir the giant, and sets an apple in her hand, and bids +her bring it to the king. She took the apple, and did on her the gear of +a crow, and went flying till she came whereas the king sat on a mound, +and there she let the apple fall into the lap of the king; but he took +the apple, and deemed he knew whereto it would avail; so he goes home +from the mound to his own folk, and came to the queen, and some deal of +that apple she ate. + +So, as the tale tells, the queen soon knew that she big with child, but +a long time wore or ever she might give birth to the child: so it befell +that the king must needs go to the wars, after the custom of kings, that +he may keep his own land in peace: and in this journey it came to pass +that Rerir fell sick and got his death, being minded to go home to Odin, +a thing much desired of many folk in those days. + +Now no otherwise it goes with the queen's sickness than heretofore, nor +may she be the lighter of her child, and six winters wore away with the +sickness still heavy on her; so that at the last she feels that she may +not live long; wherefore now she bade cut the child from out of her; and +it was done even as she bade; a man-child was it, and great of growth +from his birth, as might well be; and they say that the youngling kissed +his mother or ever she died; but to him is a name given, and he is +called Volsung; and he was king over Hunland in the room of his father. +From his early years he was big and strong, and full of daring in all +manly deeds and trials, and he became the greatest of warriors, and of +good hap in all the battles of his warfaring. + +Now when he was fully come to man's estate, Hrimnir the giant sends to +him Ljod his daughter; she of whom the tale told, that she brought the +apple to Rerir, Volsung's father. So Volsung weds her withal; and long +they abode together with good hap and great love. They had ten sons and +one daughter, and their eldest son was hight Sigmund, and their daughter +Signy; and these two were twins, and in all wise the foremost and the +fairest of the children of Volsung the king, and mighty, as all his seed +was; even as has been long told from ancient days, and in tales of long +ago, with the greatest fame of all men, how that the Volsungs have been +great men and high-minded and far above the most of men both in cunning +and in prowess and all things high and mighty. + +So says the story that king Volsung let build a noble hall in such a +wise, that a big oak-tree stood therein, and that the limbs of the tree +blossomed fair out over the roof of the hall, while below stood the +trunk within it, and the said trunk did men call Branstock. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) May (A.S. "maeg"), a maid. + + + +CHAPTER III. Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the +Branstock. + +There was a king called Siggeir, who ruled over Gothland, a mighty king +and of many folk; he went to meet Volsung, the king, and prayed him for +Signy his daughter to wife; and the king took his talk well, and his +sons withal, but she was loth thereto, yet she bade her father rule in +this as in all other things that concerned her; so the king took such +rede (1) that he gave her to him, and she was betrothed to King Siggeir; +and for the fulfilling of the feast and the wedding, was King Siggeir +to come to the house of King Volsung. The king got ready the feast +according to his best might, and when all things were ready, came the +king's guests and King Siggeir withal at the day appointed, and many a +man of great account had Siggeir with him. + +The tale tells that great fires were made endlong the hall, and the +great tree aforesaid stood midmost thereof; withal folk say that, whenas +men sat by the fires in the evening, a certain man came into the hall +unknown of aspect to all men; and suchlike array he had, that over him +was a spotted cloak, and he was bare-foot, and had linen-breeches knit +tight even unto the bone, and he had a sword in his hand as he went up +to the Branstock, and a slouched hat upon his head: huge he was, and +seeming-ancient, and one-eyed. (2) So he drew his sword and smote it +into the tree-trunk so that it sank in up to the hilts; and all held +back from greeting the man. Then he took up the word, and said-- + +"Whoso draweth this sword from this stock, shall have the same as a gift +from me, and shall find in good sooth that never bare he better sword in +hand than is this." + +Therewith out went the old man from the hall, and none knew who he was +or whither he went. + +Now men stand up, and none would fain be the last to lay hand to the +sword, for they deemed that he would have the best of it who might first +touch it; so all the noblest went thereto first, and then the others, +one after other; but none who came thereto might avail to pull it out, +for in nowise would it come away howsoever they tugged at it; but now up +comes Sigmund, King Volsung's son, and sets hand to the sword, and pulls +it from the stock, even as if it lay loose before him; so good that +weapon seemed to all, that none thought he had seen such a sword before, +and Siggeir would fain buy it of him at thrice its weight of gold, but +Sigmund said-- + +"Thou mightest have taken the sword no less than I from there whereas it +stood, if it had been thy lot to bear it; but now, since it has first of +all fallen into my hand, never shalt thou have it, though thou biddest +therefor all the gold thou hast." + +King Siggeir grew wroth at these words, and deemed Sigmund had answered +him scornfully, but whereas was a wary man and a double-dealing, he +made as if he heeded this matter in nowise, yet that same evening he +thought how he might reward it, as was well seen afterwards. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Rede (A.S. raed), counsel, advice, a tale or prophecy. + (2) The man is Odin, who is always so represented, because he + gave his eye as a pledge for a draught from the fountain of + Mimir, the source of all wisdom. + + + +CHAPTER IV. How King Siggeir wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his +son to Gothland. + +Now it is to be told that Siggeir goes to bed by Signy that night, and +the next morning the weather was fair; then says King Siggeir that he +will not bide, lest the wind should wax, or the sea grow impassable; +nor is it said that Volsung or his sons letted him herein, and that the +less, because they saw that he was fain to get him gone from the feast. +But now says Signy to her father-- + +"I have no will to go away with Seggeir; neither does my heart smile +upon him, and I wot; by my fore-knowledge, and from the fetch (1) of our +kin, that from this counsel will great evil fall on us if this wedding +be not speedily undone." + +"Speak in no such wise, daughter!" said he, "for great shame will it be +to him, yea, and to us also, to break troth with him, he being sackless; +(2) and in naught may we trust him, and no friendship shall we have of +him, if these matters are broken off; but he will pay us back in as evil +wise as he may; for that alone is seemly, to hold truly to troth given." + +So King Siggeir got ready for home, and before he went from the feast he +bade King Volsung, his father-in-law, come see him in Gothland, and all +his sons with him, whenas three months should be overpast, and to bring +such following with him, as he would have; and as he deemed meet for his +honour; and thereby will Siggeir the king pay back for the shortcomings +of the wedding-feast, in that he would abide thereat but one night only, +a thing not according to the wont of men. So King Volsung gave word to +come on the day named, and the kinsmen-in-law parted, and Siggeir went +home with his wife. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Fetch; wraith, or familiar spirit. + (2) Sackless (A.S. "sacu", Icel. "sok".) blameless. + + + +CHAPTER V. Of the Slaying of King Volsung. + +Now tells the tale of King Volsung and his sons that they go at the time +appointed to Gothland at the bidding of King Siggeir, and put off from +the land in three ships, all well manned, and have a fair voyage, and +made Gothland late of an evening tide. + +But that same night came Signy and called her father and brothers to a +privy talk, and told them what she deemed King Siggeir was minded to do, +and how that he had drawn together an army no man may meet. "And," says +she, "he is minded to do guilefully by you; wherefore I bid you get +ye gone back again to your own land, and gather together the mightiest +power ye may, and then come back hither and avenge you; neither go ye +now to your undoing, for ye shall surely fail not to fall by his wiles +if ye turn not on him even as I bid you." + +Then spake Volsung the king, "All people and nations shall tell of the +word I spake, yet being unborn, wherein I vowed a vow that I would flee +in fear from neither fire nor the sword; even so have I done hitherto, +and shall I depart therefrom now I am old? Yea withal never shall the +maidens mock these my sons at the games, and cry out at them that they +fear death; once alone must all men need die, and from that season shall +none escape; so my rede is that we flee nowhither, but do the work of +our hands in as manly wise as we may; a hundred fights have I fought, +and whiles I had more, and whiles I had less, and yet ever had I the +victory, nor shall it ever be heard tell of me that I fled away or +prayed for peace." + +Then Signy wept right sore, and prayed that she might not go back to +King Siggeir, but King Volsung answered-- + +"Thou shalt surely go back to thine husband, and abide with him, +howsoever it fares with us." + +So Signy went home, and they abode there that night; but in the morning, +as soon as it was day, Volsung bade his men arise and go aland and make +them ready for battle; so they went aland, all of them all-armed, and +had not long to wait before Siggeir fell on them with all his army, and +the fiercest fight there was betwixt them; and Siggeir cried on his men +to the onset all he might; and so the tale tells that King Volsung and +his sons went eight times right through Siggeir's folk that day, smiting +and hewing on either hand, but when they would do so even once again, +King Volsung fell amidst his folk and all his men withal, saving his ten +sons, for mightier was the power against them than they might withstand. + +But now are all his sons taken, and laid in bonds and led away; and +Signy was ware withal that her father was slain, and her brothers taken +and doomed to death; that she called King Siggeir apart to talk with +her, and said-- + +"This will I pray of thee, that thou let not slay my brothers hastily, +but let them be set awhile in the stocks, for home to me comes the saw +that says, "Sweet to eye while seen": but longer life I pray not for +them, because I wot well that my prayer will not avail me." + +Then answered Siggeir: + +"Surely thou art mad and witless, praying thus for more bale for thy +brothers than their present slaying; yet this will I grant thee, for the +better it likes me the more they must bear, and the longer their pain is +or ever death come to them." + +Now he let it be done even as she prayed, and a mighty beam was brought +and set on the feet of those ten brethren in a certain place of the +wild-wood, and there they sit day-long until night; but at midnight, as +they sat in the stocks, there came on them a she-wolf from out the wood; +old she was, and both great and evil of aspect; and the first thing she +did was to bite one of those brethren till he died, and then she ate him +up withal, and went on her way. + +But the next morning Signy sent a man to the brethren, even one whom she +most trusted, to wot of the tidings; and when he came back he told her +that one of them was dead, and great and grievous she deemed it, if they +should all fare in like wise, and yet naught might she avail them. + +Soon is the tale told thereof: nine nights together came the she-wolf +at midnight, and each night slew and ate up one of the brethren, until +all were dead, save Sigmund only; so now, before the tenth night came, +Signy sent that trusty man to Sigmund, her brother, and gave honey into +his hand, bidding him do it over Sigmund's face, and set a little deal +of it in his mouth; so he went to Sigmund and did as he was bidden, and +then came home again; and so the next night came the she-wolf according +to her wont, and would slay him and eat him even as his brothers; but +now she sniffs the breeze from him, whereas he was anointed with the +honey, and licks his face all over with her tongue, and then thrusts +her tongue into the mouth of him. No fear he had thereof, but caught +the she-wolf's tongue betwixt his teeth, and so hard she started back +thereat, and pulled herself away so mightily, setting her feet against +the stocks, that all was riven asunder; but he ever held so fast that the +tongue came away by the roots, and thereof she had her bane. + +But some men say that this same she-wolf was the mother of King +Siggeir, who had turned herself into this likeness by troll's lore and +witchcraft. + + + +CHAPTER VI. Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to +Sigmund. + +Now whenas Sigmund is loosed and the stocks are broken, he dwells in the +woods and holds himself there; but Signy sends yet again to wot of the +tidings, whether Sigmund were alive or no; but when those who were sent +came to him, he told them all as it had betid, and how things had gone +betwixt him and the wolf; so they went home and tell Signy the tidings; +but she goes and finds her brother, and they take counsel in such wise +as to make a house underground in the wild-wood; and so things go on a +while, Signy hiding him there, and sending him such things as he needed; +but King Siggeir deemed that all the Volsungs were dead. + +Now Siggeir had two sons by his wife, whereof it is told that when the +eldest was ten winters old, Signy sends him to Sigmund, so that he might +give him help, if he would in any wise strive to avenge his father; +so the youngling goes to the wood, and comes late in evening-tide to +Sigmund's earth-house; and Sigmund welcomed him in seemly fashion, and +said that he should make ready their bread; "But I," said he, "will go +seek firewood." + +Therewith he gives the meal-bag into his hands while he himself went to +fetch firing; but when he came back the youngling had done naught at the +bread-making. Then asks Sigmund if the bread be ready-- + +Says the youngling, "I durst not set hand to the meal sack, because +somewhat quick lay in the meal." + +Now Sigmund deemed he wotted that the lad was of no such heart as that +he would be fain to have him for his fellow; and when he met his sister, +Sigmund said that he had come no nigher to the aid of a man though the +youngling were with him. + +Then said Signy, "Take him and kill him then; for why should such an one +live longer?" and even so he did. + +So this winter wears, and the next winter Signy sent her next son to +Sigmund; and there is no need to make a long tale thereof, for in like +wise went all things, and he slew the child by the counsel of Signy. + + + +CHAPTER VII. Of the Birth of Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund. + +So on a tide it befell as Signy sat in her bower, that there came to her +a witch-wife exceeding cunning, and Signy talked with her in such wise, +"Fain am I," says she, "that we should change semblances together." + +She says, "Even as thou wilt then." + +And so by her wiles she brought it about that they changed semblances, +and now the witch-wife sits in Signy's place according to her rede, and +goes to bed by the king that night, and he knows not that he has other +than Signy beside him. + +But the tale tells of Signy, that she fared to the earth-house of her +brother, and prayed him give her harbouring for the night; "For I have +gone astray abroad in the woods, and know not whither I am going." + +So he said she might abide, and that he would not refuse harbour to one +lone woman, deeming that she would scarce pay back his good cheer by +tale-bearing: so she came into the house, and they sat down to meat, +and his eyes were often on her, and a goodly and fair woman she seemed +to him; but when they are full, then he says to her, that he is right +fain that they should have but one bed that night; she nowise turned +away therefrom, and so for three nights together he laid her in bed by +him. + +Thereafter she fared home, and found the witch-wife and bade her change +semblances again, and she did so. + +Now as time wears, Signy brings forth a man-child, who was named +Sinfjotli, and when he grew up he was both big and strong, and fair of +face, and much like unto the kin of the Volsungs, and he was hardly yet +ten winters old when she sent him to Sigmund's earth-house; but this +trial she had made of her other sons or ever she had sent them to +Sigmund, that she had sewed gloves on to their hands through flesh and +skin, and they had borne it ill and cried out thereat; and this she now +did to Sinfjotli, and he changed countenance in nowise thereat. Then she +flayed off the kirtle so that the skin came off with the sleeves, and +said that this would be torment enough for him; but he said-- + +"Full little would Volsung have felt such a smart this." + +So the lad came to Sigmund, and Sigmund bade him knead their meal up, +while he goes to fetch firing; so he gave him the meal-sack, and then +went after the wood, and by then he came back had Sinfjotli made an end +of his baking. Then asked Sigmund if he had found nothing in the meal. + +"I misdoubted me that there was something quick in the meal when I first +fell to kneading of it, but I have kneaded it all up together, both the +meal and that which was therein, whatsoever it was." + +Then Sigmund laughed out, he said-- + +"Naught wilt thou eat of this bread to-night, for the most deadly of +worms (1) hast thou kneaded up therewith." + +Now Sigmund was so mighty a man that he might eat venom and have no hurt +therefrom; but Sinfjotli might abide whatso venom came on the outside of +him, but might neither eat nor drink thereof. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Serpents. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. The Death of King Siggeir and of Signy. + +The tale tells that Sigmund thought Sinfjotli over young to help him to +his revenge, and will first of all harden him with manly deeds; so in +summer-tide they fare wide through the woods and slay men for their +wealth; Sigmund deems him to take much after the kin of the Volsungs, +though he thinks that he is Siggeir's son, and deems him to have the +evil heart of his father, with the might and daring of the Volsungs; +withal he must needs think him in no wise a kinsome man, for full oft +would he bring Sigmund's wrongs to his memory, and prick him on to slay +King Siggeir. + +Now on a time as they fare abroad in the wood for the getting of wealth, +they find a certain house, and two men with great gold rings asleep +therein: now these twain were spell-bound skin-changers, (1) and +wolf-skins were hanging up over them in the house; and every tenth +day might they come out of those skins; and they were kings' sons: so +Sigmund and Sinfjofli do the wolf-skins on them, and then might they +nowise come out of them, though forsooth the same nature went with them +as heretofore; they howled as wolves howl, but both knew the meaning of +that howling; they lay out in the wild-wood, and each went his way; and +a word they made betwixt them, that they should risk the onset of seven +men, but no more, and that he who was first to be set on should howl in +wolfish wise: "Let us not depart from this," says Sigmund, "for thou art +young and over-bold, and men will deem the quarry good, when they take +thee." + +Now each goes his way, and when they were parted, Sigmund meets certain +men, and gives forth a wolf's howl; and when Sinfjotli heard it, he went +straightway thereto, and slew them all, and once more they parted. But +ere Sinfjotli has fared long through the woods, eleven men meet him, +and he wrought in such wise that he slew them all, and was awearied +therewith, and crawls under an oak, and there takes his rest. Then came +Sigmund thither, and said-- + +"Why didst thou not call on me?" + +Sinfjotli said, "I was loth to call for thy help for the slaying of +eleven men." + +Then Sigmund rushed at him so hard that he staggered and fell, and +Sigmund bit him in the throat. Now that day they might not come out of +their wolf-skins: but Sigmund lays the other on his back, and bears +him home to the house, and cursed the wolf-gears and gave them to the +trolls. Now on a day he saw where two weasels went, and how that one bit +the other in the throat, and then ran straightway into the thicket, and +took up a leaf and laid it on the wound, and thereon his fellow sprang +up quite and clean whole; so Sigmund went out and saw a raven flying +with a blade of that same herb to him; so he took it and drew it over +Sinfjotli's hurt, and he straightway sprang up as whole as though he had +never been hurt. Thereafter they went home to their earth-house, and +abode there till the time came for them to put off the wolf-shapes; then +they burnt them up with fire, and prayed that no more hurt might come +to any one from them; but in that uncouth guise they wrought many famous +deeds in the kingdom and lordship of King Siggeir. + +Now when Sinfjotli was come to man's estate, Sigmund deemed he had tried +him fully, and or ever a long time has gone by he turns his mind to the +avenging of his father, if so it may be brought about; so on a certain +day the twain get them gone from their earth-house, and come to the +abode of King Siggeir late in the evening, and go into the porch before +the hall, wherein were tuns of ale, and there they lie hid: now the +queen is ware of them, where they are, and is fain to meet them; and +when they met they took counsel, and were of one mind that Volsung should +be revenged that same night. + +Now Signy and the king had two children of tender age, who played with +a golden toy on the floor, and bowled it along the pavement of the hall, +running along with it; but therewith a golden ring from off it trundles +away into the place where Sigmund and Sinfjotli lay, and off runs the +little one to search for the same, and beholds withal where two men are +sitting, big and grimly to look on, with overhanging helms and bright +white byrnies; (2) so he runs up the hall to his father, and tells him +of the sight he has seen, and thereat the king misdoubts of some guile +abiding him; but Signy heard their speech, and arose and took both the +children, and went out into the porch to them and said-- + +"Lo ye! These younglings have bewrayed you; come now therefore and slay +them!" + +Sigmund says, "Never will I slay thy children for telling of where I lay +hid." + +But Sinfjotli made little enow of it, but drew his sword and slew them +both, and cast them into the hall at King Siggeir's feet. + +Then up stood the king and cried on his men to take those who had lain +privily in the porch through the night. So they ran thither and would +lay hands on them, but they stood on their defence well and manly, and +long he remembered it who was the nighest to them; but in the end they +were borne down by many men and taken, and bonds were set upon them, and +they were cast into fetters wherein they sit night long. + +Then the king ponders what longest and worst of deaths he shall mete out +to them; and when morning came he let make a great barrow of stones and +turf; and when it was done, let set a great flat stone midmost inside +thereof, so that one edge was aloft, the other alow; and so great it was +that it went from wall to wall, so that none might pass it. + +Now he bids folk take Sigmund and Sinfjotli and set them in the barrow, +on either side of the stone, for the worse for them he deemed it, that +they might hear each the other's speech, and yet that neither might pass +one to the other. But now, while they were covering in the barrow with +the turf-slips, thither came Signy, bearing straw with her, and cast it +down to Sinfjotli, and bade the thralls hide this thing from the king; +they said yea thereto, and therewithal was the barrow closed in. + +But when night fell, Sinfjotli said to Sigmund, "Belike we shall scarce +need meat for a while, for here has the queen cast swine's flesh into +the barrow, and wrapped it round about on the outer side with straw." + +Therewith he handles the flesh and finds that therein was thrust +Sigmund's sword; and he knew it by the hilts, as mirk as it might be in +the barrow, and tells Sigmund thereof, and of that were they both fain +enow. + +Now Sinfjotli drave the point of the sword up into the big stone, and +drew it hard along, and the sword bit on the stone. With that Sigmund +caught the sword by the point, and in this wise they sawed the stone +between them, and let not or all the sawing was done that need be done, +even as the song sings: + + "Sinfjotli sawed + And Sigmund sawed, + Atwain with main + The stone was done." + +Now are they both together loose in the barrow, and soon they cut both +through stone and through iron, and bring themselves out thereof. Then +they go home to the hall, whenas all men slept there, and bear wood to +the hall, and lay fire therein; and withal the folk therein are waked by +the smoke, and by the hall burning over their heads. + +Then the king cries out, "Who kindled this fire, I burn withal?" + +"Here am I," says Sigmund, "with Sinfjotli, my sister's son; and we are +minded that thou shalt wot well that all the Volsungs are not yet dead." + +Then he bade his sister come out, and take all good things at his hands, +and great honour, and fair atonement in that wise, for all her griefs. + +But she answered, "Take heed now, and consider, if I have kept King +Siggeir in memory, and his slaying of Volsung the king! I let slay both +my children, whom I deemed worthless for the revenging of our father, +and I went into the wood to thee in a witch-wife's shape; and now +behold, Sinfjotli is the son of thee and of me both! and therefore has +he this so great hardihood and fierceness, in that he is the son both of +Volsung's son and Volsung's daughter; and for this, and for naught else, +have I so wrought, that Siggeir might get his bane at last; and all +these things have I done that vengeance might fall on him, and that I +too might not live long; and merrily now will I die with King Siggeir, +though I was naught merry to wed him." + +Therewith she kissed Sigmund her brother, and Sinfjotli, and went back +again into the fire, and there she died with King Siggeir and all his +good men. + +But the two kinsmen gathered together folk and ships, and Sigmund went +back to his father's land, and drave away thence the king, who had set +himself down there in the room of king Volsung. + +So Sigmund became a mighty King and far-famed, wise and high-minded: he +had to wife one named Borghild, and two sons they had between them, one +named Helgi and the other Hamund; and when Helgi was born, Norns came to +him, (3) and spake over him, and said that he should be in time to come +the most renowned of all kings. Even therewith was Sigmund come home +from the wars, and so therewith he gives him the name of Helgi, and +these matters as tokens thereof, Land of Rings, Sun-litten Hill, and +Sharp-shearing Sword, and withal prayed that he might grow of great +fame, and like unto the kin of the Volsungs. + +And so it was that he grew up high-minded, and well-beloved, and above +all other men in all prowess; and the story tells that he went to the +wars when he was fifteen winters old. Helgi was lord and ruler over the +army, but Sinfjotli was gotten to be his fellow herein; and so the twain +bare sway thereover. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Skin-changers" were universally believed in once, in + Iceland no less than elsewhere, as see Ari in several places + of his history, especially the episode of Dufthach and + Storwolf o' Whale. Men possessing the power of becoming + wolves at intervals, in the present case compelled so to + become, wer-wolves or "loupsgarou", find large place in + medieval story, but were equally well-known in classic + times. Belief in them still lingers in parts of Europe + where wolves are to be found. Herodotus tells of the Neuri, + who assumed once a year the shape of wolves; Pliny says that + one of the family of Antaeus, chosen by lot annually, became + a wolf, and so remained for nine years; Giraldus Cambrensis + will have it that Irishmen may become wolves; and Nennius + asserts point-blank that "the descendants of wolves are + still in Ossory;" they retransform themselves into wolves + when they bite. Apuleius, Petronius, and Lucian have + similar stories. The Emperor Sigismund convoked a council + of theologians in the fifteenth century who decided that + wer-wolves did exist. + (2) Byrny (A.S. "byrne"), corslet, cuirass. + (3) "Norns came to him." Nornir are the fates of the northern + mythology. They are three--"Urd", the past; "Verdandi", + the present; and "Skuld", the future. They sit beside the + fountain of Urd ("Urdarbrunur"), which is below one of the + roots of "Yggdrasil", the world-tree, which tree their + office it is to nourish by sprinkling it with the waters of + the fountain. + + + +CHAPTER IX. How Helgi, the son of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his +Realm, and wedded Sigrun. + +Now the tale tells that Helgi in his warring met a king hight Hunding, +a mighty king, and lord of many men and many lands; they fell to battle +together, and Helgi went forth mightily, and such was the end of that +fight that Helgi had the victory, but King Hunding fell and many of his +men with him; but Helgi is deemed to have grown greatly in fame because +he had slain so mighty a king. + +Then the sons of Hunding draw together a great army to avenge their +father. Hard was the fight betwixt them; but Helgi goes through the +folk of those brothers unto their banner, and there slays these sons +of Hunding, Alf and Eyolf, Herward and Hagbard, and wins there a great +victory. + +Now as Helgi fared from the fight, he met a many women right fair and +worthy to look on, who rode in exceeding noble array; but one far +excelled them all; then Helgi asked them the name of that their lady and +queen, and she named herself Sigrun, and said she was daughter of King +Hogni. + +Then said Helgi, "Fare home with us: good welcome shall ye have!" + +Then said the king's daughter, "Other work lies before us than to drink +with thee." + +"Yea, and what work, king's daughter?" said Helgi. + +She answers, "King Hogni has promised me to Hodbrod, the son of King +Granmar, but I have vowed a vow that I will have him to my husband no +more than if he were a crow's son and not a king's; and yet will the +thing come to pass, but and if thou standest in the way thereof, and +goest against him with an army, and takest me away withal; for verily +with no king would I rather bide on bolster than with thee." + +"Be of good cheer, king's daughter," says he, "for certes he and I shall +try the matter, or ever thou be given to him; yea, we shall behold which +may prevail against the other; and hereto I pledge my life." + +Thereafter, Helgi sent men with money in their hands to summon his folk +to him, and all his power is called together to Red-Berg: and there +Helgi abode till such time as a great company came to him from Hedinsey; +and therewithal came mighty power from Norvi Sound aboard great and fair +ships. Then King Helgi called to him the captain of his ships, who was +hight Leif, and asked him if he had told over the tale of his army. + +"A thing not easy to tell, lord," says he, "on the ships that came out +of Norvi Sound are twelve thousand men, and otherwhere are half as many +again." + +Then bade King Helgi turn into the firth, called Varin's firth, and they +did so: but now there fell on them so fierce a storm and so huge a sea, +that the beat of the waves on board and bow was to hearken to like as +the clashing together of high hills broken. + +But Helgi bade men fear naught, nor take in any sail, but rather hoist +every rag higher than heretofore; but little did they miss of foundering +or ever they made land; then came Sigrun, daughter of King Hogni, down +on to the beach with a great army, and turned them away thence to a good +haven called Gnipalund; but the landsmen see what has befallen and +come down to the sea-shore. The brother of King Hodbrod, lord of a land +called Swarin's Cairn, cried out to them, and asked them who was captain +over that mighty army. Then up stands Sinfjotli, with a helm on his +head, bright shining as glass, and a byrny as white as snow; a spear +in his hand, and thereon a banner of renown, and a gold-rimmed shield +hanging before him; and well he knew with what words to speak to kings-- + +"Go thou and say, when thou hast made an end of feeding thy swine and +thy dogs, and when thou beholdest thy wife again, that here are come +the Volsungs, and in this company may King Helgi be found, if Hodbrod +be fain of finding him, for his game and his joy it is to fight and win +fame, while thou art kissing the handmaids by the fire-side." + +Then answered Granmar, "In nowise knowest thou how to speak seemly +things, and to tell of matters remembered from of old, whereas thou +layest lies on chiefs and lords; most like it is that thou must have +long been nourished with wolf-meat abroad in the wild-woods, and has +slain thy brethren; and a marvel it is to behold that thou darest to +join thyself to the company of good men and true, thou, who hast sucked +the blood of many a cold corpse." + +Sinfjotli answered, "Dim belike is grown thy memory now, of how thou +wert a witch-wife on Varinsey, and wouldst fain have a man to thee, and +chose me to that same office of all the world; and how thereafter thou +wert a Valkyria (1) in Asgarth, and it well-nigh came to this, that for +thy sweet sake should all men fight; and nine wolf whelps I begat on thy +body in Lowness, and was the father to them all." + +Granmar answers, "Great skill of lying hast thou; yet belike the father +of naught at all mayst thou be, since thou wert gelded by the giant's +daughters of Thrasness; and lo thou art the stepson of King Siggeir, and +were wont to lie abroad in wilds and woods with the kin of wolves; and +unlucky was the hand wherewith thou slewest thy brethren, making for +thyself an exceeding evil name." + +Said Sinfjotli, "Mindest thou not then, when thou were stallion Grani's +mare, and how I rode thee an amble on Bravoll, and that afterwards thou +wert giant Golnir's goat-herd?" + +Granmar says, "Rather would I feed fowls with the flesh of thee than +wrangle any longer with thee." + +Then spake King Helgi, "Better were it for ye, and a more manly deed, to +fight, rather than to speak such things as it is a shame even to hearken +to; Granmar's sons are no friends of me and of mine, yet are they hardy +men none the less." + +So Granmar rode away to meet King Hodbrod, at a stead called Sunfells, +and the horses of the twain were named Sveipud and Sveggjud. The +brothers met in the castle-porch, and Granmar told Hodbrod of the +war-news. King Hodbrod was clad in a byrny, and had his helm on his +head; he asked-- + +"What men are anigh, why look ye so wrathful?" + +Granmar says, "Here are come the Volsungs, and twelve thousand men of +them are afloat off the coast, and seven thousand are at the island +called Sok, but at the stead called Grindur is the greatest company of +all, and now I deem withal that Helgi and his fellowship have good will +to give battle." + +Then said the king, "Let us send a message through all our realm, and go +against them, neither let any who is fain of fight sit idle at home; let +us send word to the sons of Ring, and to King Hogni, and to Alf the Old, +for they are mighty warriors." + +So the hosts met at Wolfstone, and fierce fight befell there; Helgi +rushed forth through the host of his foes, and many a man fell there; at +last folk saw a great company of shield-maidens, like burning flames to +look on, and there was come Sigrun, the king's daughter. Then King Helgi +fell on King Hodbrod, and smote him, and slew him even under his very +banner; and Sigrun cried out-- + +"Have thou thanks for thy so manly deed! now shall we share the land +between us, and a day of great good hap this is to me, and for this deed +shalt thou get honour and renown, in that thou hast felled to earth so +mighty a king." + +So Helgi took to him that realm and dwelt there long, when he had wedded +Sigrun, and became a king of great honour and renown, though he has +naught more to do with this story. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Valkyrja, "Chooser of the elected." The women were so + called whom Odin sent to choose those for death in battle + who were to join the "Einherjar" in the hall of the elected, + "Val-holl." + + + +CHAPTER X. The ending of Sinfjotli, Sigmund's Son. + +Now the Volsungs fare back home, and have gained great renown by these +deeds. But Sinfjotli betook himself to warfare anew; and therewith he +had sight of an exceeding fair woman, and yearned above all things for +her; but that same woman was wooed also of the brother of Borghild, the +king's wife: and this matter they fought out betwixt them, and Sinfjotli +slew that king; and thereafter he harried far and wide, and had many +a battle and even gained the day; and he became hereby honoured and +renowned above all men; but in autumn tide he came home with many ships +and abundant wealth. + +Then he told his tidings to the king his father, and he again to the +queen, and she for her part bids him get him gone from the realm, and +made as if she would in nowise see him. But Sigmund said he would not +drive him away, and offered her atonement of gold and great wealth for +her brother's life, albeit he said he had never erst given weregild +(1) to any for the slaying of a man, but no fame it was to uphold wrong +against a woman. + +So seeing she might not get her own way herein, she said, "Have thy will +in this matter, O my lord, for it is seemly so to be." + +And now she holds the funeral feast for her brother by the aid and +counsel of the king, and makes ready all things therefor or in the best of +wise, and bade thither many great men. + +At that feast, Borghild the queen bare the drink to folk, and she came +over against Sinfjofli with a great horn, and said-- + +"Fall to now and drink, fair stepson!" + +Then he took the horn to him, and looked therein, and said-- + +"Nay, for the drink is charmed drink" + +Then said Sigmund, "Give it unto me then;" and therewith he took the +horn and drank it off. + +But the queen said to Sinfjotli, "Why must other men needs drink thine +ale for thee?" And she came again the second time with the horn, and +said, "Come now and drink!" and goaded him with many words. + +And he took the horn, and said-- + +"Guile is in the drink." + +And thereon, Sigmund cried out-- + +"Give it then unto me!" + +Again, the third time, she came to him, and bade him drink off his +drink, if he had the heart of a Volsung; then he laid hand on the horn, +but said-- + +"Venom is therein." + +"Nay, let the lip strain it out then, O son," quoth Sigmund; and by then +was he exceeding drunk with drink, and therefore spake he in that wise. + +So Sinfjotli drank, and straightway fell down dead to the ground. + +Sigmund rose up, and sorrowed nigh to death over him; then he took the +corpse in his arms and fared away to the wood, and went till he came to +a certain firth; and there he saw a man in a little boat; and that man +asked if he would be wafted by him over the firth, and he said yea +thereto; but so little was the boat, that they might not all go in it +at once, so the corpse was first laid therein, while Sigmund went by +the firth-side. But therewith the boat and the man therein vanished away +from before Sigmund's eyes. (2) + +So thereafter Sigmund turned back home, and drave away the queen, and a +little after she died. But Sigmund the king yet ruled his realm, and is +deemed ever the greatest champion and king of the old law. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Weregild, fine for man-slaying ("wer", man, and "gild", a + payment). + (2) The man in the boat is Odin, doubtless. + + + +CHAPTER XI. Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his +Sword again. + +There was a king called Eylimi, mighty and of great fame, and his +daughter was called Hjordis, the fairest and wisest of womankind; and +Sigmund hears it told of her that she was meet to be his wife, yea if +none else were. So he goes to the house of King Eylimi, who would make +a great feast for him, if so be he comes not thither in the guise of +a foe. So messages were sent from one to the other that this present +journey was a peaceful one, and not for war; so the feast was held in +the best of wise and with many a man thereat; fairs were in every place +established for King Sigmund, and all things else were done to the aid +and comfort of his journey: so he came to the feast, and both kings hold +their state in one hall; thither also was come King Lyngi, son of King +Hunding, and he also is a-wooing the daughter of King Eylimi. + +Now the king deemed he knew that the twain had come thither but for one +errand, and thought withal that war and trouble might be looked for +from the hands of him who brought not his end about; so he spake to his +daughter, and said-- + +"Thou art a wise woman, and I have spoken it, that thou alone shalt +choose a husband for thyself; choose therefore between these two kings, +and my rede shall be even as thine." + +"A hard and troublous matter," says she; "yet will I choose him who is +of greatest fame, King Sigmund to wife, albeit he is well stricken in +years." + +So to him was she betrothed, and King Lyngi gat him gone. Then was +Sigmund wedded to Hjordis, and now each day was the feast better and +more glorious than on the day before it. But thereafter Sigmund went +back home to Hunland, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, with him, and +King Sigmund betakes himself to the due ruling of his realm. + +But King Lyngi and his brethren gather an army together to fall on +Sigmund, for as in all matters they were wont to have the worser lot, +so did this bite the sorest of all; and they would fain prevail over the +might and pride of the Volsungs. So they came to Hunland, and sent King +Sigmund word how that they would not steal upon him, and that they deemed +he would scarce slink away from them. So Sigmund said he would come and +meet them in battle, and drew his power together; but Hjordis was borne +into the wood with a certain bondmaid, and mighty wealth went with them; +and there she abode the while they fought. + +Now the vikings rushed from their ships in numbers not to be borne up +against, but Sigmund the King, and Eylimi, set up their banners, and the +horns blew up to battle; but King Sigmund let blow the horn his father +erst had had, and cheered on his men to the fight, but his army was far +the fewest. + +Now was that battle fierce and fell, and though Sigmund were old, yet +most hardily he fought, and was ever the foremost of his men; no shield +or byrny might hold against him, and he went ever through the ranks +of his foemen on that day, and no man might see how things would fare +between them; many an arrow and many a spear was aloft in air that day, +and so his spae-wrights wrought for him that he got no wound, and none +can tell over the tale of those who fell before him, and both his arms +were red with blood, even to the shoulders. + +But now whenas the battle had dured a while, there came a man into +the fight clad in a blue cloak, and with a slouched hat on his head, +one-eyed he was, (1) and bare a bill in his hand; and he came against +Sigmund the King, and have up his bill against him, and as Sigmund smote +fiercely with the sword it fell upon the bill and burst asunder in the +midst: thenceforth the slaughter and dismay turned to his side, for the +good-hap of King Sigmund had departed from him, and his men fell fast +about him; naught did the king spare himself, but the rather cheered on +his men; but even as the saw says, "No might 'gainst many", so was it +now proven; and in this fight fell Sigmund the King, and King Eylimi, +his father-in-law, in the fore-front of their battle, and therewith the +more part of their folk. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin coming to change the ownership of the sword he had + given Sigmund. See Chapter 3. + + + +CHAPTER XII. Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to +King Alf. + +Now King Lyngi made for the king's abode, and was minded to take the +king's daughter there, but failed herein, for there he found neither +wife nor wealth: so he fared through all the realm, and gave his men +rule thereover, and now deemed that he had slain all the kin of the +Volsungs, and that he need dread them no more from henceforth. + +Now Hjordis went amidst the slain that night of the battle, and came +whereas lay King Sigmund, and asked if he might be healed; but he +answered-- + +"Many a man lives after hope has grown little; but my good-hap has +departed from me, nor will I suffer myself to be healed, nor wills Odin +that I should ever draw sword again, since this my sword and his is +broken; lo now, I have waged war while it was his will." + +"Naught ill would I deem matters," said she, "if thou mightest be healed +and avenge my father." + +The king said, "That is fated for another man; behold now, thou art +great with a man-child; nourish him well and with good heed, and the +child shall be the noblest and most famed of all our kin: and keep well +withal the shards of the sword: thereof shall a goodly sword be made, +and it shall be called Gram, and our son shall bear it, and shall work +many a great work therewith, even such as eld shall never minish; for +his name shall abide and flourish as long as the world shall endure: and +let this be enow for thee. But now I grow weary with my wounds, and I +will go see our kin that have gone before me." + +So Hjordis sat over him till he died at the day-dawning; and then she +looked, and behold, there came many ships sailing to the land: then she +spake to the handmaid-- + +"Let us now change raiment, and be thou called by my name, and say that +thou art the king's daughter." + +And thus they did; but now the vikings behold the great slaughter of men +there, and see where two women fare away thence into the wood; and they +deem that some great tidings must have befallen, and they leaped ashore +from out their ships. Now the captain of these folks was Alf, son of +Hjalprek, king of Denmark, who was sailing with his power along the +land. So they came into the field among the slain, and saw how many men +lay dead there; then the king bade go seek for the women and bring +them thither, and they did so. He asked them what women they were; and, +little as the thing seems like to be, the bondmaid answered for the +twain, telling of the fall of King Sigmund and King Eylimi, and many +another great man, and who they were withal who had wrought the deed. +Then the king asks if they wotted where the wealth of the king was +bestowed; and then says the bondmaid-- + +"It may well be deemed that we know full surely thereof." + +And therewith she guides them to the place where the treasure lay: and +there they found exceeding great wealth; so that men deem they have +never seen so many things of price heaped up together in one place. All +this they bore to the ships of King Alf, and Hjordis and the bondmaid +went with them. Therewith these sail away to their own realm, and talk +how that surely on that field had fallen the most renowned of kings. + +So the king sits by the tiller, but the women abide in the forecastle; +but talk he had with the women and held their counsels of much account. + +In such wise the king came home to his realm with great wealth, and he +himself was a man exceeding goodly to look on. But when he had been but +a little while at home, the queen, his mother, asked him why the fairest +of the two women had the fewer rings and the less worthy attire. + +"I deem," she said, "that she whom ye have held of least account is the +noblest of the twain." + +He answered: "I too have misdoubted me, that she is little like a +bondwoman, and when we first met, in seemly wise she greeted noble men. +Lo now, we will make a trial of the thing." + +So on a time as men sat at the drink, the king sat down to talk with the +women, and said:-- + +"In what wise do ye note the wearing of the hours, whenas night grows +old, if ye may not see the lights of heaven?" + +Then says the bondwoman, "This sign have I, that whenas in my youth I +was wont to drink much in the dawn, so now when I no longer use that +manner, I am yet wont to wake up at that very same tide, and by that +token do I know thereof." + +Then the king laughed and said, "Ill manners for a king's daughter!" And +therewith he turned to Hjordis, and asked her even the same question; +but she answered-- + +"My father erst gave me a little gold ring of such nature, that it +groweth cold on my finger in the day-dawning; and that is the sign that +I have to know thereof." + +The king answered: "Enow of gold there, where a very bondmaid bore it! +But come now, thou hast been long enow hid from me; yet if thou hadst +told me all from the beginning, I would have done to thee as though we +had both been one king's children: but better than thy deeds will I deal +with thee, for thou shalt be my wife, and due jointure will I pay thee +whenas thou hast borne me a child." + +She spake therewith and told out the whole truth about herself: so there +was she held in great honour, and deemed the worthiest of women. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + +The tale tells that Hjordis brought forth a man-child, who was +straightly borne before King Hjalprek, and then was the king glad +thereof, when he saw the keen eyes in the head of him, and he said that +few men would be equal to him or like unto him in any wise. So he was +sprinkled with water, and had to name Sigurd, of whom all men speak +with one speech and say that none was ever his like for growth and +goodliness. He was brought up in the house of King Hjalprek in great +love and honour; and so it is, that whenso all the noblest men and +greatest kings are named in the olden tales, Sigurd is ever put before +them all, for might and prowess, for high mind and stout heart, wherewith +he was far more abundantly gifted than any man of the northern parts of +the wide world. + +So Sigurd waxed in King Hjalprek's house, and there was no child but +loved him; through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and jointure +meted to her. + +Now Sigurd's foster-father was hight Regin, the son of Hreidmar; he +taught him all manner of arts, the chess play, and the lore of runes, +and the talking of many tongues, even as the wont was with kings' sons +in those days. But on a day when they were together, Regin asked Sigurd, +if he knew how much wealth his father had owned, and who had the ward +thereof; Sigurd answered, and said that the kings kept the ward thereof. + +Said Regin, "Dost thou trust them all utterly?" + +Sigurd said, "It is seemly that they keep it till I may do somewhat +therewith, for better they wot how to guard it than I do." + +Another time came Regin to talk to Sigurd, and said-- + +"A marvellous thing truly that thou must needs be a horse-boy to the +kings, and go about like a running knave." + +"Nay," said Sigurd, "it is not so, for in all things I have my will, and +whatso thing I desire is granted me with good will." + +"Well, then," said Regin, "ask for a horse of them." + +"Yea," quoth Sigurd, "and that shall I have, whenso I have need +thereof." + +Thereafter Sigurd went to the king, and the king said-- + +"What wilt thou have of us?" + +Then said Sigurd, "I would even a horse of thee for my disport." + +Then said the king, "Choose for thyself a horse, and whatso thing else +thou desirest among my matters." + +So the next day went Sigurd to the wood, and met on the way an old man, +long-bearded, that he knew not, who asked him whither away. + +Sigurd said, "I am minded to choose me a horse; come thou, and counsel +me thereon." + +"Well then," said he, "go we and drive them to the river which is called +Busil-tarn." + +They did so, and drave the horses down into the deeps of the river, and +all swam back to land but one horse; and that horse Sigurd chose for +himself; grey he was of hue, and young of years, great of growth, and +fair to look on, nor had any man yet crossed his back. + +Then spake the grey-beard, "From Sleipnir's kin is this horse come, and +he must be nourished heedfully, for it will be the best of all horses;" +and therewithal he vanished away. + +So Sigurd called the horse Grani, the best of all the horses of the +world; nor was the man he met other than Odin himself. + +Now yet again spake Regin to Sigurd, and said-- + +"Not enough is thy wealth, and I grieve right sore that thou must needs +run here and there like a churl's son; but I can tell thee where there +is much wealth for the winning, and great name and honour to be won in +the getting of it." + +Sigurd asked where that might be, and who had watch and ward over it. + +Regin answered, "Fafnir is his name, and but a little way hence he lies, +on the waste of Gnita-heath; and when thou comest there thou mayst well +say that thou hast never seen more gold heaped together in one place, +and that none might desire more treasure, though he were the most +ancient and famed of all kings." + +"Young am I," says Sigurd, "yet know I the fashion of this worm, and how +that none durst go against him, so huge and evil is he." + +Regin said, "Nay it is not so, the fashion and the growth of him is even +as of other lingworms, (1) and an over great tale men make of it; and +even so would thy forefathers have deemed; but thou, though thou be of +the kin of the Volsungs, shalt scarce have the heart and mind of those, +who are told of as the first in all deeds of fame." + +Sigurd said, "Yea, belike I have little of their hardihood and prowess, +but thou hast naught to do, to lay a coward's name upon me, when I +am scarce out of my childish years. Why dost thou egg me on hereto so +busily?" + +Regin said, "Therein lies a tale which I must needs tell thee." + +"Let me hear the same," said Sigurd. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lingworm--longworm, dragon. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. Regin's tale of his Brothers, and of the Gold called +Andvari's Hoard. + +"The tale begins," said Regin. "Hreidmar was my father's name, a mighty +man and a wealthy: and his first son was named Fafnir, his second Otter, +and I was the third, and the least of them all both for prowess and good +conditions, but I was cunning to work in iron, and silver, and gold, +whereof I could make matters that availed somewhat. Other skill my +brother Otter followed, and had another nature withal, for he was a +great fisher, and above other men herein; in that he had the likeness of +an otter by day, and dwelt ever in the river, and bare fish to bank +in his mouth, and his prey would he ever bring to our father, and that +availed him much: for the most part he kept him in his otter-gear, and +then he would come home, and eat alone, and slumbering, for on the +dry land he might see naught. But Fafnir was by far the greatest and +grimmest, and would have all things about called his. + +"Now," says Regin, "there was a dwarf called Andvari, who ever abode in +that force, (1) which was called Andvari's force, in the likeness of a +pike, and got meat for himself, for many fish there were in the force; +now Otter, my brother, was ever wont to enter into the force, and bring +fish aland, and lay them one by one on the bank. And so it befell that +Odin, Loki, and Hoenir, as they went their ways, came to Andvari's +force, and Otter had taken a salmon, and ate it slumbering upon the +river bank; then Loki took a stone and cast it at Otter, so that he gat +his death thereby; the gods were well content with their prey, and +fell to flaying off the otter's skin; and in the evening they came to +Hreidmar's house, and showed him what they had taken: thereon he laid +hands on them, and doomed them to such ransom, as that they should fill +the otter skin with gold, and cover it over without with red gold; so +they sent Loki to gather gold together for them; he came to Ran, (2) +and got her net, and went therewith to Andvari's force, and cast the net +before the pike, and the pike ran into the net and was taken. Then said +Loki-- + + "'What fish of all fishes, + Swims strong in the flood, + But hath learnt little wit to beware? + Thine head must thou buy, + From abiding in hell, + And find me the wan waters flame.' + +He answered-- + + "'Andvari folk call me, + Call Oinn my father, + Over many a force have I fared; + For a Norn of ill-luck, + This life on me lay + Through wet ways ever to wade.' + +"So Loki beheld the gold of Andvari, and when he had given up the gold, +he had but one ring left, and that also Loki took from him; then +the dwarf went into a hollow of the rocks, and cried out, that that +gold-ring, yea and all the gold withal, should be the bane of every man +who should own it thereafter. + +"Now the gods rode with the treasure to Hreidmar, and fulfilled the +otter-skin, and set it on its feet, and they must cover it over utterly +with gold: but when this was done then Hreidmar came forth, and beheld +yet one of the muzzle hairs, and bade them cover that withal; then Odin +drew the ring, Andvari's loom, from his hand, and covered up the hair +therewith; then sang Loki-- + + "'Gold enow, gold enow, + A great weregild, thou hast, + That my head in good hap I may hold; + But thou and thy son + Are naught fated to thrive, + The bane shall it be of you both.' + +"Thereafter," says Regin, "Fafnir slew his father and murdered him, nor +got I aught of the treasure, and so evil he grew, that he fell to lying +abroad, and begrudged any share in the wealth to any man, and so became +the worst of all worms, and ever now lies brooding upon that treasure: +but for me, I went to the king and became his master-smith; and thus is +the tale told of how I lost the heritage of my father, and the weregild +for my brother." + +So spake Regin; but since that time gold is called Ottergild, and for no +other cause than this. + +But Sigurd answered, "Much hast thou lost, and exceeding evil have thy +kinsmen been! But now, make a sword by thy craft, such a sword as that +none can be made like unto it; so that I may do great deeds therewith, +if my heart avail thereto, and thou wouldst have me slay this mighty +dragon." + +Regin says, "Trust me well herein; and with that same sword shalt thou +slay Fafnir." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Waterfall (Ice. "foss", "fors"). + (2) Ran is the goddess of the sea, wife of Aegir. The otter was + held sacred by Norsefolk and figures in the myth and legend + of most races besides; to this day its killing is held a + great crime by the Parsees (Haug. "Religion of the Parsees", + page 212). Compare penalty above with that for killing the + Welsh king's cat ("Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales". + Ed., Aneurin Owen. Longman, London, 1841, 2 vols. 8vo). + + + +CHAPTER XV. Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sword Gram. + +So Regin makes a sword, and gives it into Sigurd's hands. He took the +sword, and said-- + +"Behold thy smithying, Regin!" and therewith smote it into the anvil, +and the sword brake; so he cast down the brand, and bade him forge a +better. + +Then Regin forged another sword, and brought it to Sigurd, who looked +thereon. + +Then said Regin, "Belike thou art well content therewith, hard master +though thou be in smithying." + +So Sigurd proved the sword, and brake it even as the first; then he said +to Regin-- + +"Ah, art thou, mayhappen, a traitor and a liar like to those former kin +of thine?" + +Therewith he went to his mother, and she welcomed him in seemly wise, +and they talked and drank together. + +Then spake Sigurd, "Have I heard aright, that King Sigmund gave thee the +good sword Gram in two pieces?" + +"True enough," she said. + +So Sigurd said, "Deliver them into my hands, for I would have them." + +She said he looked like to win great fame, and gave him the sword. +Therewith went Sigurd to Regin, and bade him make a good sword thereof +as he best might; Regin grew wroth thereat, but went into the smithy +with the pieces of the sword, thinking well meanwhile that Sigurd pushed +his head far enow into the matter of smithying. So he made a sword, and +as he bore it forth from the forge, it seemed to the smiths as though +fire burned along the edges thereof. Now he bade Sigurd take the sword, +and said he knew not how to make a sword if this one failed. Then Sigurd +smote it into the anvil, and cleft it down to the stock thereof, and +neither burst the sword nor brake it. Then he praised the sword much, +and thereafter went to the river with a lock of wool, and threw it up +against the stream, and it fell asunder when it met the sword. Then was +Sigurd glad, and went home. + +But Regin said, "Now whereas I have made the sword for thee, belike thou +wilt hold to thy troth given, and wilt go meet Fafnir?" + +"Surely will I hold thereto," said Sigurd, "yet first must I avenge my +father." + +Now Sigurd the older he grew, the more he grew in the love of all men, +so that every child loved him well. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. The prophecy of Grifir. + +There was a man hight Grifir,(1) who was Sigurd's mother's brother, and +a little after the forging of the sword Sigurd went to Grifir, because +he was a man who knew things to come, and what was fated to men: of him +Sigurd asked diligently how his life should go; but Grifir was long +or he spake, yet at the last, by reason of Sigurd's exceeding great +prayers, he told him all his life and the fate thereof, even as +afterwards came to pass. So when Grifir had told him all even as he +would, he went back home; and a little after he and Regin met. + +Then said Regin, "Go thou and slay Fafnir, even as thou hast given thy +word." + +Sigurd said, "That work shall be wrought; but another is first to be +done, the avenging of Sigmund the king and the other of my kinsmen who +fell in that their last fight." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Called "Gripir" in the Edda. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father. + +Now Sigurd went to the kings, and spake thus-- + +"Here have I abode a space with you, and I owe you thanks and reward, +for great love and many gifts and all due honour; but now will I away +from the land and go meet the sons of Hunding, and do them to wit that +the Volsungs are not all dead; and your might would I have to strengthen +me therein." + +So the kings said that they would give him all things soever that +he desired, and therewith was a great army got ready, and all things +wrought in the most heedful wise, ships and all war-gear, so that his +journey might be of the stateliest: but Sigurd himself steered the +dragon-keel which was the greatest and noblest; richly wrought were +their sails, and glorious to look on. + +So they sail and have wind at will; but when a few days were overpast, +there arose a great storm on the sea, and the waves were to behold even +as the foam of men's blood; but Sigurd bade take in no sail, howsoever +they might be riven, but rather to lay on higher than heretofore. But +as they sailed past the rocks of a ness, a certain man hailed the ships, +and asked who was captain over that navy; then was it told him that the +chief and lord was Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, the most famed of all the +young men who now are. + +Then said the man, "Naught but one thing, certes, do all say of him, that +none among the sons of kings may be likened unto him; now fain were I +that ye would shorten sail on some of the ships, and take me aboard." + +Then they asked him of his name, and he sang-- + + "Hnikar I hight, + When I gladdened Huginn, + And went to battle, + Bright son of Volsung; + Now may ye call + The carl on the cliff top, + Feng or Fjolnir: + Fain would I with you." + +They made for land therewith, and took that man aboard. + +Then quoth Sigurd,(1) as the song says-- + + "Tell me this, O Hnikar, + Since full well thou knowest + Fate of Gods, good and ill of mankind, + What best our hap foresheweth, + When amid the battle + About us sweeps the sword edge." + +Quoth Hnikar-- + + "Good are many tokens + If thereof men wotted + When the swords are sweeping: + Fair fellow deem I + The dark-winged raven, + In war, to weapon-wielder. + + "The second good thing: + When abroad thou goest + For the long road well arrayed, + Good if thou seest + Two men standing, + Fain of fame within the forecourt. + + "A third thing: + Good hearing, + The wolf a howling + Abroad under ash boughs; + Good hap shalt thou have + Dealing with helm-staves, + If thou seest these fare before thee. + + "No man in fight + His face shall turn + Against the moon's sister + Low, late-shining, + For he winneth battle + Who best beholdeth + Through the midmost sword-play, + And the sloping ranks best shapeth. + + "Great is the trouble + Of foot ill-tripping, + When arrayed for fight thou farest, + For on both sides about + Are the D?sir (2) by thee, + Guileful, wishful of thy wounding. + + "Fair-combed, well washen + Let each warrior be, + Nor lack meat in the morning, + For who can rule + The eve's returning, + And base to fall before fate grovelling." + +Then the storm abated, and on they fared till they came aland in the +realm of Hunding's sons, and then Fjolnir vanished away. + +Then they let loose fire and sword, and slew men and burnt their abodes, +and did waste all before them: a great company of folk fled before the +face of them to Lyngi the King, and tell him that men of war are in the +land, and are faring with such rage and fury that the like has never +been heard of; and that the sons of King Hunding had no great forecast +in that they said they would never fear the Volsungs more, for here was +come Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, as captain over this army. + +So King Lyngi let send the war-message all throughout his realm, and has +no will to flee, but summons to him all such as would give him aid. So +he came against Sigurd with a great army, he and his brothers with him, +and an exceeding fierce fight befell; many a spear and many an arrow +might men see there raised aloft, axes hard driven, shields cleft and +byrnies torn, helmets were shivered, skulls split atwain, and many a man +felled to the cold earth. + +And now when the fight has long dured in such wise, Sigurd goes forth +before the banners, and has the good sword Gram in his hand, and smites +down both men and horses, and goes through the thickest of the throng +with both arms red with blood to the shoulder; and folk shrank aback +before him wheresoever he went, nor would either helm or byrny hold +before him, and no man deemed he had ever seen his like. So a long while +the battle lasted, and many a man was slain, and furious was the onset; +till at last it befell, even as seldom comes to hand, when a land army +falls on, that, do whatso they might, naught was brought about; but so +many men fell of the sons of Hunding that the tale of them may not be +told; and now whenas Sigurd was among the foremost, came the sons of +Hunding against him, and Sigurd smote therewith at Lyngi the king, and +clave him down, both helm and head, and mail-clad body, and thereafter +he smote Hjorward his brother atwain, and then slew all the other sons +of Hunding who were yet alive, and the more part of their folk withal. + +Now home goes Sigurd with fair victory won, and plenteous wealth and +great honour, which he had gotten to him in this journey, and feasts +were made for him against he came back to the realm. + +But when Sigurd had been at home but a little, came Regin to talk with +him, and said-- + +"Belike thou wilt now have good will to bow down Fafnir's crest +according to thy word plighted, since thou hast thus revenged thy father +and the others of thy kin." + +Sigurd answered, "That will we hold to, even as we have promised, nor +did it ever fall from our memory." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This and verses following were inserted from the "Reginsmal" + by the translators. + (2) "D?sir", sing. "D?s". These are the guardian beings who + follow a man from his birth to his death. The word + originally means sister, and is used throughout the Eddaic + poems as a dignified synonym for woman, lady. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. Of the Slaying of the Worm Fafnir. + +Now Sigurd and Regin ride up the heath along that same way wherein +Fafnir was wont to creep when he fared to the water; and folk say that +thirty fathoms was the height of that cliff along which he lay when he +drank of the water below. Then Sigurd spake: + +"How sayedst thou, Regin, that this drake (1) was no greater than other +lingworms; methinks the track of him is marvellous great?" + +Then said Regin, "Make thee a hole, and sit down therein, and whenas +the worm comes to the water, smite him into the heart, and so do him to +death, and win thee great fame thereby." + +But Sigurd said, "What will betide me if I be before the blood of the +worm?" + +Says Regin, "Of what avail to counsel thee if thou art still afeard of +everything? Little art thou like thy kin in stoutness of heart." + +Then Sigurd rides right over the heath; but Regin gets him gone, sore +afeard. + +But Sigurd fell to digging him a pit, and whiles he was at that work, +there came to him an old man with a long beard, and asked what he +wrought there, and he told him. + +Then answered the old man and said, "Thou doest after sorry counsel: +rather dig thee many pits, and let the blood run therein; but sit thee +down in one thereof, and so thrust the worm's heart through." + +And therewithal he vanished away; but Sigurd made the pits even as it +was shown to him. + +Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook +all about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as +he went; but Sigurd neither trembled nor was adrad at the roaring of +him. So whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword +under his left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts; then up +leapt Sigurd from the pit and drew the sword back again unto him, and +therewith was his arm all bloody, up to the very shoulder. + +Now when that mighty worm was ware that he had his death-wound, then he +lashed out head and tail, so that all things soever that were before him +were broken to pieces. + +So whenas Fafnir had his death-wound, he asked "Who art thou? And who is +thy father? And what thy kin, that thou wert so hardy as to bear weapons +against me?" + +Sigurd answered, "Unknown to men is my kin. I am called a noble beast: +(2) neither father have I nor mother, and all alone have I fared +hither." + +Said Fafnir, "Whereas thou hast neither father nor mother, of what +wonder wert thou born then? But now, though thou tellest me not thy name +on this my death-day, yet thou knowest verily that thou liest unto me." + +He answered, "Sigurd am I called, and my father was Sigmund." + +Says Fafnir, "Who egged thee on to this deed, and why wouldst thou be +driven to it? Hadst thou never heard how that all folk were adrad of +me, and of the awe of my countenance? But an eager father thou hadst, O +bright eyed swain!" + +Sigurd answered, "A hardy heart urged me on hereto; and a strong hand +and this sharp sword, which well thou knowest now, stood me in stead in +the doing of the deed; 'Seldom hath hardy eld a faint-heart youth.'" + +Fafnir said, "Well, I wot that hadst thou waxed amid thy kin, thou +mightest have good skill to slay folk in thine anger; but more of a +marvel is it, that thou, a bondsman taken in war, shouldst have the +heart to set on me, 'for few among bondsmen have heart for the fight.'" + +Said Sigurd, "Wilt thou then cast it in my teeth that I am far away from +my kin? Albeit I was a bondsman, yet was I never shackled. God wot thou +hast found me free enow." + +Fafnir answered, "In angry wise dost thou take my speech; but hearken, +for that same gold which I have owned shall be thy bane too." + +Quoth Sigurd, "Fain would we keep all our wealth til that day of days; +yet shall each man die once for all." + +Said Fafnir, "Few things wilt thou do after my counsel; but take heed +that thou shalt be drowned if thou farest unwarily over the sea; so bide +thou rather on the dry land, for the coming of the calm tide." + +Then said Sigurd, "Speak, Fafnir, and say, if thou art so exceeding +wise, who are the Norns who rule the lot of all mothers' sons." + +Fafnir answers, "Many there be and wide apart; for some are of the kin +of the Aesir, and some are of Elfin kin, and some there are who are +daughters of Dvalin." + +Said Sigurd, "How namest thou the holm whereon Surt (3) and the Aesir +mix and mingle the water of the sword?" + +"Unshapen is that holm hight," said Fafnir. + +And yet again he said, "Regin, my brother, has brought about my end, +and it gladdens my heart that thine too he bringeth about; for thus will +things be according to his will." + +And once again he spake, "A countenance of terror I bore up before all +folk, after that I brooded over the heritage of my brother, and on every +side did I spout out poison, so that none durst come anigh me, and of +no weapon was I adrad, nor ever had I so many men before me, as that +I deemed myself not stronger than all; for all men were sore afeard of +me." + +Sigurd answered and said, "Few may have victory by means of that same +countenance of terror, for whoso comes amongst many shall one day find +that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all." + +Then says Fafnir, "Such counsel I give thee, that thou take thy horse +and ride away at thy speediest, for ofttimes it falls out so, that he +who gets a death-wound avenges himself none the less." + +Sigurd answered, "Such as thy redes are I will nowise do after them; +nay, I will ride now to thy lair and take to me that great treasure of +thy kin." + +"Ride there then," said Fafnir, "and thou shalt find gold enow to +suffice thee for all thy life-days; yet shall that gold be thy bane, and +the bane of every one soever who owns it." + +Then up stood Sigurd, and said, "Home would I ride and lose all that +wealth, if I deemed that by the losing thereof I should never die; but +every brave and true man will fain have his hand on wealth till that +last day; but thou, Fafnir, wallow in the death-pain till Death and Hell +have thee." + +And therewithal Fafnir died. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lat. "draco", a dragon. + (2) "Unknown to men is my kin." Sigurd refusing to tell his + name is to be referred to the superstition that a dying man + could throw a curse on his enemy. + (3) Surt; a fire-giant, who will destroy the world at the + Ragnarok, or destruction of all things. Aesir; the gods. + + + +CHAPTER XIX. Of the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar. + +Thereafter came Regin to Sigurd, and said, "Hail, lord and master, a +noble victory hast thou won in the slaying of Fafnir, whereas none durst +heretofore abide in the path of him; and now shall this deed of fame be +of renown while the world stands fast." + +Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and presently +thereafter spake from heavy mood: "Mine own brother hast thou slain, and +scarce may I be called sackless of the deed." + +Then Sigurd took his sword Gram and dried it on the earth, and spake to +Regin-- + +"Afar thou faredst when I wrought this deed and tried this sharp sword +with the hand and the might of me; with all the might and main of a +dragon must I strive, while thou wert laid alow in the heather-bush, +wotting not if it were earth or heaven." + +Said Regin, "Long might this worm have lain in his lair, if the sharp +sword I forged with my hand had not been good at need to thee; had that +not been, neither thou nor any man would have prevailed against him as +at this time." + +Sigurd answers, "Whenas men meet foes in fight, better is stout heart +than sharp sword." + +Then said Regin, exceeding heavily, "Thou hast slain my brother, and +scarce may I be sackless of the deed." + +Therewith Sigurd cut out the heart of the worm with the sword called +Ridil; but Regin drank of Fafnir's blood, and spake, "Grant me a boon, +and do a thing little for thee to do. Bear the heart to the fire, and +roast it, and give me thereof to eat." + +Then Sigurd went his ways and roasted it on a rod; and when the blood +bubbled out he laid his finger thereon to essay it, if it were fully +done; and then he set his finger in his mouth, and lo, when the +heart-blood of the worm touched his tongue, straightway he knew the +voice of all fowls, and heard withal how the wood-peckers chattered in +the brake beside him-- + +"There sittest thou, Sigurd, roasting Fafnir's heart for another, that +thou shouldest eat thine ownself, and then thou shouldest become the +wisest of all men." + +And another spake: "There lies Regin, minded to beguile the man who +trusts in him." + +But yet again said the third, "Let him smite the head from off him then, +and be only lord of all that gold." + +And once more the fourth spake and said, "Ah, the wiser were he if he +followed after that good counsel, and rode thereafter to Fafnir's lair, +and took to him that mighty treasure that lieth there, and then rode +over Hindfell, whereas sleeps Brynhild; for there would he get great +wisdom. Ah, wise he were, if he did after your redes, and bethought him +of his own weal; 'for where wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near.'" + +Then cried the fifth: "Yea, yea, not so wise is he as I deem him, if he +spareth him, whose brother he hath slain already." + +At last spake the sixth: "Handy and good rede to slay him, and be lord +of the treasure!" + +Then said Sigurd, "The time is unborn wherein Regin shall be my bane; +nay, rather one road shall both these brothers fare." + +And therewith he drew his sword Gram and struck off Regin's head. + +Then heard Sigurd the wood-peckers a-singing, even as the song says. (1) + +For the first sang: + + "Bind thou, Sigurd, + The bright red rings! + Not meet it is + Many things to fear. + A fair may know I, + Fair of all the fairest + Girt about with gold, + Good for thy getting." + +And the second: + + "Green go the ways + Toward the hall of Giuki + That the fates show forth + To those who fare thither; + There the rich king + Reareth a daughter; + Thou shalt deal, Sigurd, + With gold for thy sweetling." + +And the third: + + "A high hall is there + Reared upon Hindfell, + Without all around it + Sweeps the red flame aloft. + Wise men wrought + That wonder of halls + With the unhidden gleam + Of the glory of gold." + +Then the fourth sang: + + "Soft on the fell + A shield-may sleepeth + The lime-trees' red plague + Playing about her: + The sleep-thorn set Odin + Into that maiden + For her choosing in war + The one he willed not. + + "Go, son, behold + That may under helm + Whom from battle + Vinskornir bore, + From her may not turn + The torment of sleep. + Dear offspring of kings + In the dread Norns' despite." + +Then Sigurd ate some deal of Fafnir's heart, and the remnant he kept. +Then he leapt on his horse and rode along the trail of the worm Fafnir, +and so right unto his abiding-place; and he found it open, and beheld +all the doors and the gear of them that they were wrought of iron: yea, +and all the beams of the house; and it was dug down deep into the earth: +there found Sigurd gold exceeding plenteous, and the sword Rotti; and +thence he took the Helm of Awe, and the Gold Byrny, and many things +fair and good. So much gold he found there, that he thought verily that +scarce might two horses, or three belike, bear it thence. So he took +all the gold and laid it in two great chests, and set them on the horse +Grani, and took the reins of him, but nowise will he stir, neither will +he abide smiting. Then Sigurd knows the mind of the horse, and leaps on +the back of him, and smites and spurs into him, and off the horse goes +even as if he were unladen. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The Songs of the Birds were inserted from "Reginsmal" by the + translators. + + + +CHAPTER XX. Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the Mountain. + +By long roads rides Sigurd, till he comes at the last up on to Hindfell, +and wends his way south to the land of the Franks; and he sees before +him on the fell a great light, as of fire burning, and flaming up even +unto the heavens; and when he came thereto, lo, a shield-hung castle +before him, and a banner on the topmost thereof: into the castle went +Sigurd, and saw one lying there asleep, and all-armed. Therewith he +takes the helm from off the head of him, and sees that it is no man, but +a woman; and she was clad in a byrny as closely set on her as though it +had grown to her flesh; so he rent it from the collar downwards; and then +the sleeves thereof, and ever the sword bit on it as if it were cloth. +Then said Sigurd that over-long had she lain asleep; but she asked-- + +"What thing of great might is it that has prevailed to rend my byrny, +and draw me from my sleep?" + +Even as sings the song: (1) + + "What bit on the byrny, + Why breaks my sleep away, + Who has turned from me + My wan tormenting?" + +"Ah, is it so, that here is come Sigurd Sigmundson, bearing Fafnir's +helm on his head and Fafnir's bane in his hand?" + +Then answered Sigurd-- + + "Sigmund's son + With Sigurd's sword + E'en now rent down + The raven's wall." + +"Of the Volsung's kin is he who has done the deed; but now I have heard +that thou art daughter of a mighty king, and folk have told us that thou +wert lovely and full of lore, and now I will try the same." + +Then Brynhild sang-- + + "Long have I slept + And slumbered long, + Many and long are the woes of mankind, + By the might of Odin + Must I bide helpless + To shake from off me the spells of slumber. + + "Hail to the day come back! + Hail, sons of the daylight! + Hail to thee, dark night, and thy daughter! + Look with kind eyes a-down, + On us sitting here lonely, + And give unto us the gain that we long for. + + "Hail to the Aesir, + And the sweet Asyniur! (2) + Hail to the fair earth fulfilled of plenty! + Fair words, wise hearts, + Would we win from you, + And healing hands while life we hold." + +Then Brynhild speaks again and says, "Two kings fought, one hight Helm +Gunnar, an old man, and the greatest of warriors, and Odin had promised +the victory unto him; but his foe was Agnar, or Audi's brother: and so +I smote down Helm Gunnar in the fight; and Odin, in vengeance for that +deed, stuck the sleep-thorn into me, and said that I should never +again have the victory, but should be given away in marriage; but +thereagainst I vowed a vow, that never would I wed one who knew the +name of fear." + +Then said Sigurd, "Teach us the lore of mighty matters!" + +She said, "Belike thou cannest more skill in all than I; yet will I +teach thee; yea, and with thanks, if there be aught of my cunning that +will in anywise pleasure thee, either of runes or of other matters that +are the root of things; but now let us drink together, and may the Gods +give to us twain a good day, that thou mayst win good help and fame +from my wisdom, and that thou mayst hereafter mind thee of that which we +twain speak together." + +Then Brynhild filled a beaker and bore it to Sigurd, and gave him the +drink of love, and spake-- + + "Beer bring I to thee, + Fair fruit of the byrnies' clash, + Mixed is it mightily, + Mingled with fame, + Brimming with bright lays + And pitiful runes, + Wise words, sweet words, + Speech of great game. + + "Runes of war know thou, + If great thou wilt be! + Cut them on hilt of hardened sword, + Some on the brand's back, + Some on its shining side, + Twice name Tyr therein. + + "Sea-runes good at need, + Learnt for ship's saving, + For the good health of the swimming horse; + On the stern cut them, + Cut them on the rudder-blade + And set flame to shaven oar: + Howso big be the sea-hills, + Howso blue beneath, + Hail from the main then comest thou home. + + "Word-runes learn well + If thou wilt that no man + Pay back grief for the grief thou gavest; + Wind thou these, + Weave thou these, + Cast thou these all about thee, + At the Thing, + Where folk throng, + Unto the full doom faring. + + "Of ale-runes know the wisdom + If thou wilt that another's wife + Should not bewray thine heart that trusteth: + Cut them on the mead-horn, + On the back of each hand, + And nick an N upon thy nail. + + "Ale have thou heed + To sign from all harm + Leek lay thou in the liquor, + Then I know for sure + Never cometh to thee, + Mead with hurtful matters mingled. + + "Help-runes shalt thou gather + If skill thou wouldst gain + To loosen child from low-laid mother; + Cut be they in hands hollow, + Wrapped the joints round about; + Call for the Good-folks' gainsome helping. + + "Learn the bough-runes wisdom + If leech-lore thou lovest; + And wilt wot about wounds' searching + On the bark be they scored; + On the buds of trees + Whose boughs look eastward ever. + + "Thought-runes shalt thou deal with + If thou wilt be of all men + Fairest-souled wight, and wisest, + These areded + These first cut + These first took to heart high Hropt. + + "On the shield were they scored + That stands before the shining God, + On Early-waking's ear, + On All-knowing's hoof, + On the wheel which runneth + Under Rognir's chariot; + On Sleipnir's jaw-teeth, + On the sleigh's traces. + + "On the rough bear's paws, + And on Bragi's tongue, + On the wolf's claws, + And on eagle's bill, + On bloody wings, + And bridge's end; + On loosing palms, + And pity's path: + + "On glass, and on gold, + And on goodly silver, + In wine and in wort, + And the seat of the witch-wife; + On Gungnir's point, + And Grani's bosom; + On the Norn's nail, + And the neb of the night-owl. + + "All these so cut, + Were shaven and sheared, + And mingled in with holy mead, + And sent upon wide ways enow; + Some abide with the Elves, + Some abide with the Aesir, + Or with the wise Vanir, + Some still hold the sons of mankind. + + "These be the book-runes, + And the runes of good help, + And all the ale-runes, + And the runes of much might; + To whomso they may avail, + Unbewildered unspoilt; + They are wholesome to have: + Thrive thou with these then. + When thou hast learnt their lore, + Till the Gods end thy life-days. + + "Now shalt thou choose thee + E'en as choice is bidden, + Sharp steel's root and stem, + Choose song or silence; + See to each in thy heart, + All hurt has been heeded." + +Then answered Sigurd-- + + "Ne'er shall I flee, + Though thou wottest me fey; + Never was I born for blenching, + Thy loved rede will I + Hold aright in my heart + Even as long as I may live." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The stanzas on the two following pages were inserted here + from "Sigrdrifasmal" by the translators. + (2) Goddesses. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. More Wise Words of Brynhild. + +Sigurd spake now, "Sure no wiser woman than thou art one may be found in +the wide world; yea, yea, teach me more yet of thy wisdom!" + +She answers, "Seemly is it that I do according to thy will, and show +thee forth more redes of great avail, for thy prayer's sake and thy +wisdom;" and she spake withal-- + +"Be kindly to friend and kin, and reward not their trespasses against +thee; bear and forbear, and win for thee thereby long enduring praise of +men. + +"Take good heed of evil things: a may's love, and a man's wife; full oft +thereof doth ill befall! + +"Let not thy mind be overmuch crossed by unwise men at thronged meetings +of folk; for oft these speak worse than they wot of; lest thou be called +a dastard, and art minded to think that thou art even as is said; slay +such an one on another day, and so reward his ugly talk. + +"If thou farest by the way whereas bide evil things, be well ware of +thyself; take not harbour near the highway, though thou be benighted, +for oft abide there ill wights for men's bewilderment. + +"Let not fair women beguile thee, such as thou mayst meet at the feast, +so that the thought thereof stand thee in stead of sleep, and a quiet +mind; yea, draw them not to thee with kisses or other sweet things of +love. + +"If thou hearest the fool's word of a drunken man, strive not with him +being drunk with drink and witless; many a grief, yea, and the very +death, groweth from out such things. + +"Fight thy foes in the field, nor be burnt in thine house. + +'Never swear thou wrongsome oath; great and grim is the reward for the +breaking of plighted troth. + +"Give kind heed to dead men,--sick-dead, Sea-dead; deal heedfully with +their dead corpses. + +"Trow never in him for whom thou hast slain father, brother, or whatso +near kin, yea, though young he be; 'for oft waxes wolf in youngling'. + +"Look thou with good heed to the wiles of thy friends; but little skill +is given to me, that I should foresee the ways of thy life; yet good it +were that hate fell not on thee from those of thy wife's house." + +Sigurd spake, "None among the sons of men can be found wiser than thou; +and thereby swear I, that thee will I have as my own, for near to my +heart thou liest." + +She answers, "Thee would I fainest choose, though I had all men's sons +to choose from." + +And thereto they plighted troth both of them. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. (1) + +Now Sigurd rides away; many-folded is his shield, and blazing with red +gold, and the image of a dragon is drawn thereon; and this same was dark +brown above, and bright red below; and with even such-like image was +adorned helm, and saddle, and coat-armour; and he was clad in the golden +byrny, and all his weapons were gold wrought. + +Now for this cause was the drake drawn on all his weapons, that when he +was seen of men, all folk might know who went there; yea, all those who +had heard of his slaying of that great dragon, that the Voerings call +Fafnir; and for that cause are his weapons gold-wrought, and brown +of hue, and that he was by far above other men in courtesy and goodly +manners, and well-nigh in all things else; and whenas folk tell of all +the mightiest champions, and the noblest chiefs, then ever is he named +the foremost, and his name goes wide about on all tongues north of the +sea of the Greek-lands, and even so shall it be while the world endures. + +Now the hair of this Sigurd was golden-red of hue, fair of fashion, and +falling down in great locks; thick and short was his beard, and of no +other colour, high-nosed he was, broad and high-boned of face; so +keen were his eyes, that few durst gaze up under the brows of him; his +shoulders were as broad to look on as the shoulders of two; most duly +was his body fashioned betwixt height and breadth, and in such wise as +was seemliest; and this is the sign told of his height, that when he was +girt with his sword Gram, which same was seven spans long, as he went +through the full-grown rye-fields, the dew-shoe of the said sword smote +the ears of the standing corn; and, for all that, greater was his +strength than his growth: well could he wield sword, and cast forth +spear, shoot shaft, and hold shield, bend bow, back horse, and do all +the goodly deeds that he learned in his youth's days. + +Wise he was to know things yet undone; and the voice of all fowls he +knew, wherefore few things fell on him unawares. + +Of many words he was, and so fair of speech withal, that whensoever he +made it his business to speak, he never left speaking before that to all +men it seemed full sure, that no otherwise must the matter be than as he +said. + +His sport and pleasure it was to give aid to his own folk, and to prove +himself in mighty matters, to take wealth from his unfriends, and give +the same to his friends. + +Never did he lose heart, and of naught was he adrad. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is nearly literally the same as chapter 166 of + the "Wilkinasaga"; Ed.: Perinskiold, Stockholm, 1715. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. Sigurd comes to Hlymdale. + +Forth Sigurd rides till he comes to a great and goodly dwelling, the +lord whereof was a mighty chief called Heimir; he had to wife a sister +of Brynhild, who was hight Bekkhild, because she had bidden at home, and +learned handicraft, whereas Brynhild fared with helm and byrny unto the +wars, wherefore was she called Brynhild. + +Heimir and Bekkhild had a son called Alswid, the most courteous of men. + +Now at this stead were men disporting them abroad, but when they see +the man riding thereto, they leave their play to wonder at him, for none +such had they ever seen erst; so they went to meet him, and gave him +good welcome; Alswid bade him abide and have such things at his hands as +he would; and he takes his bidding blithesomely; due service withal was +established for him; four men bore the treasure of gold from off the +horse, and the fifth took it to him to guard the same; therein were many +things to behold, things of great price, and seldom seen; and great +game and joy men had to look on byrnies and helms, and mighty rings, and +wondrous great golden stoups, and all kinds of war weapons. + +So there dwelt Sigurd long in great honour holden; and tidings of that +deed of fame spread wide through all lands, of how he had slain that +hideous and fearful dragon. So good joyance had they there together, +and each was leal to other; and their sport was in the arraying of +their weapons, and the shafting of their arrows, and the flying of their +falcons. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. Sigurd sees Brynhild at Hlymdale. + +In those days came home to Heimir, Brynhild, his foster-daughter, +and she sat in her bower with her maidens, and could more skill in +handycraft than other women; she sat, overlaying cloth with gold, and +sewing therein the great deeds which Sigurd had wrought, the slaying of +the Worm, and the taking of the wealth of him, and the death of Regin +withal. + +Now tells the tale, that on a day Sigurd rode into the wood with hawk, +and hound, and men thronging; and whenas he came home his hawk flew up +to a high tower, and sat him down on a certain window. Then fared Sigurd +after his hawk, and he saw where sat a fair woman, and knew that it was +Brynhild, and he deems all things he sees there to be worthy together, +both her fairness, and the fair things she wrought: and therewith he +goes into the hall, but has no more joyance in the games of the men +folk. + +Then spake Alswid, "Why art thou so bare of bliss? this manner of thine +grieveth us thy friends; why then wilt thou not hold to thy gleesome +ways? Lo, thy hawks pine now, and thy horse Grani droops; and long will +it be ere we are booted thereof?" + +Sigurd answered, "Good friend, hearken to what lies on my mind; for my +hawk flew up into a certain tower; and when I came thereto and took him, +lo there I saw a fair woman, and she sat by a needlework of gold, and +did thereon my deeds that are passed, and my deeds that are to come." + +Then said Alswid, "Thou has seen Brynhild, Budli's daughter, the +greatest of great women." + +"Yea, verily," said Sigurd; "but how came she hither?" + +Aswid answered, "Short space there was betwixt the coming hither of the +twain of you." + +Says Sigurd, "Yea, but a few days agone I knew her for the best of the +world's women." + +Alswid said, "Give not all thine heed to one woman, being such a man as +thou art; ill life to sit lamenting for what we may not have." + +"I shall go meet her," says Sigurd, "and get from her love like my love, +and give her a gold ring in token thereof." + +Alswid answered, "None has ever yet been known whom she would let sit +beside her, or to whom she would give drink; for ever will she hold to +warfare and to the winning of all kinds of fame." + +Sigurd said, "We know not for sure whether she will give us answer or +not, or grant us a seat beside her." + +So the next day after, Sigurd went to the bower, but Alswid stood +outside the bower door, fitting shafts to his arrows. + +Now Sigurd spake, "Abide, fair and hale lady,--how farest thou?" + +She answered, "Well it fares; my kin and my friends live yet: but who +shall say what goodhap folk may bear to their life's end?" + +He sat him down by her, and there came in four damsels with great golden +beakers, and the best of wine therein; and these stood before the twain. + +Then said Brynhild, "This seat is for few, but and if my father come." + +He answered, "Yet is it granted to one that likes me well." + +Now that chamber was hung with the best and fairest of hangings, and the +floor thereof was all covered with cloth. + +Sigurd spake, "Now has it come to pass even as thou didst promise." + +"O be thou welcome here!" said she, and arose therewith, and the four +damsels with her, and bore the golden beaker to him, and bade him drink; +he stretched out his hand to the beaker, and took it, and her hand +withal, and drew her down beside him; and cast his arms round about her +neck and kissed her, and said-- + +"Thou art the fairest that was ever born!" + +But Brynhild said, "Ah, wiser is it not to cast faith and troth into a +woman's power, for ever shall they break that they have promised." + +He said, "That day would dawn the best of days over our heads whereon +each of each should be made happy." + +Brynhild answered, "It is not fated that we should abide together; I am +a shield-may, and wear helm on head even as the kings of war, and them +full oft I help, neither is the battle become loathsome to me." + +Sigurd answered, "What fruit shall be of our life, if we live not +together: harder to bear this pain that lies hereunder, than the stroke +of sharp sword." + +Brynhild answers, "I shall gaze on the hosts of the war-kings, but thou +shalt wed Gudrun, the daughter of Giuki." + +Sigurd answered, "What king's daughter lives to beguile me? neither am +I double-hearted herein; and now I swear by the Gods that thee shall I +have for mine own, or no woman else." + +And even suchlike wise spake she. + +Sigurd thanked her for her speech, and gave her a gold ring, and now +they swore oath anew, and so he went his ways to his men, and is with +them awhile in great bliss. + + + +CHAPTER XXV. Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter. + +There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; +three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun +was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these +children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and +in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars +and wrought many a deed of fame. But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the +Wise-wife. + +Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they +both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man +and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and +the greatest of warriors. Grimhild was a fierce-hearted woman. + +Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those +children, so far before the sons of men. + +On a day Gudrun says to her mays that she may have no joy of heart; then +a certain woman asked her wherefore her joy was departed. + +She answered, "Grief came to me in my dreams, therefore is there sorrow +in my heart, since thou must needs ask thereof." + +"Tell it me, then, thy dream," said the woman, "for dreams oft forecast +but the weather." + +Gudrun answers, "Nay, nay, no weather is this; I dreamed that I had a +fair hawk on my wrist, feathered with feathers of gold." + +Says the woman, "Many have heard tell of thy beauty, thy wisdom, and thy +courtesy; some king's son abides thee, then." + +Gudrun answers, "I dreamed that naught was so dear to me as this hawk, +and all my wealth had I cast aside rather than him." + +The woman said, "Well, then, the man thou shalt have will be of the +goodliest, and well shalt thou love him." + +Gudrun answered, "It grieves me that I know not who he shall be; let us +go seek Brynhild, for she belike will wot thereof." + +So they arrayed them in gold and many a fair thing, and she went with +her damsels till they came to the hall of Brynhild, and that hall was +dight with gold, and stood on a high hill; and whenas their goings were +seen, it was told Brynhild, that a company of women drove toward the +burg in gilded waggons. + +"That shall be Gudrun, Giuki's daughter," says she: "I dreamed of her +last night; let us go meet her! No fairer woman may come to our house." + +So they went abroad to meet them, and gave them good greeting, and they +went into the goodly hall together; fairly painted it was within, and +well adorned with silver vessel; cloths were spread under the feet of +them, and all folk served them, and in many wise they sported. + +But Gudrun was somewhat silent. + +Then said Brynhild, "Ill to abash folk of their mirth; prithee do not +so; let us talk together for our disport of mighty kings and their great +deeds." + +"Good talk," says Gudrun, "let us do even so; what kings deemest thou to +have been the first of all men?" + +Brynhild says, "The sons of Haki, and Hagbard withal; they brought to +pass many a deed of fame in the warfare." + +Gudrun answers, "Great men certes, and of noble fame! Yet Sigar took +their one sister, and burned the other, house and all; and they may be +called slow to revenge the deed; why didst thou not name my brethren, who +are held to be the first of men as at this time?" + +Brynhild says, "Men of good hope are they surely, though but little +proven hitherto; but one I know far before them, Sigurd, the son of +Sigmund the king; a youngling was he in the days when he slew the sons +of Hunding, and revenged his father, and Eylimi, his mother's father." + +Said Gudrun, "By what token tellest thou that?" + +Brynhild answered, "His mother went amid the dead, and found Sigmund the +king sore wounded, and would bind up his hurts; but he said he grew over +old for war, and bade her lay this comfort to her heart, that she should +bear the most famed of sons; and wise was the wise man's word therein: +for after the death of King Sigmund, she went to King Alf, and there was +Sigurd nourished in great honour, and day by day he wrought some deed of +fame, and is the man most renowned of all the wide world." + +Gudrun says, "From love hast thou gained these tidings of him; but for +this cause came I here, to tell thee dreams of mine which have brought +me great grief." + +Says Brynhild, "Let not such matters sadden thee; abide with thy friends +who wish thee blithesome, all of them!" + +"This I dreamed," said Gudrun, "that we went, a many of us in company, +from the bower, and we saw an exceeding great hart, that far excelled +all other deer ever seen, and the hair of him was golden; and this +deer we were all fain to take, but I alone got him; and he seemed to me +better than all things else; but sithence thou, Byrnhild, didst shoot +and slay my deer even at my very knees, and such grief was that to +me that scarce might I bear it; and then afterwards thou gavest me a +wolf-cub, which besprinkled me with the blood of my brethren." + +Brynhild answers, "I will arede thy dream, even as things shall come +to pass hereafter; for Sigurd shall come to thee, even he whom I have +chosen for my well-beloved; and Grimhild shall give him mead mingled +with hurtful things, which shall cast us all into mighty strife. Him +shalt thou have, and him shalt thou quickly miss; and Atli the king +shalt thou wed; and thy brethren shalt thou lose, and slay Atli withal +in the end." + +Gudrun answers, "Grief and woe to know that such things shall be!" + +And therewith she and hers get them gone home to King Giuki. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. Sigurd comes to the Giukings and is wedded to Gudrun. + +Now Sigurd goes his ways with all that great treasure, and in friendly +wise he departs from them; and on Grani he rides with all his war-gear +and the burden withal; and thus he rides until he comes to the hall +of King Giuki; there he rides into the burg, and that sees one of the +king's men, and he spake withal-- + +"Sure it may be deemed that here is come one of the Gods, for his array +is all done with gold, and his horse is far mightier than other horses, +and the manner of his weapons is most exceeding goodly, and most of all +the man himself far excels all other men ever seen." + +So the king goes out with his court and greets the man, and asks-- + +"Who art thou who thus ridest into my burg, as none has durst hitherto +without the leave of my sons?" + +He answered, "I am called Sigurd, son of King Sigmund." + +Then said King Giuki, "Be thou welcome here then, and take at our hands +whatso thou willest." + +So he went into the king's hall, and all men seemed little beside him, +and all men served him, and there he abode in great joyance. + +Now oft they all ride abroad together, Sigurd and Gunnar and Hogni, +and ever is Sigurd far the foremost of them, mighty men of their hands +though they were. + +But Grimhild finds how heartily Sigurd loved Brynhild, and how oft he +talks of her; and she falls to thinking how well it were, if he might +abide there and wed the daughter of King Giuki, for she saw that none +might come anigh to his goodliness, and what faith and goodhelp there +was in him, and how that he had more wealth withal than folk might tell +of any man; and the king did to him even as unto his own sons, and they +for their parts held him of more worth than themselves. + +So on a night as they sat at the drink, the queen arose, and went before +Sigurd, and said-- + +"Great joy we have in thine abiding here, and all good things will +we put before thee to take of us; lo now, take this horn and drink +thereof." + +So he took it and drank, and therewithal she said, "Thy father shall be +Giuki the king, and I shall be thy mother, and Gunnar and Hogni shall be +thy brethren, and all this shall be sworn with oaths each to each; and +then surely shall the like of you never be found on earth." + +Sigurd took her speech well, for with the drinking of that drink all +memory of Brynhild departed from him. So there he abode awhile. + +And on a day went Grimhild to Giuki the king, and cast her arms about +his neck, and spake-- + +"Behold, there has now come to us the greatest of great hearts that the +world holds; and needs must he be trusty and of great avail; give him +thy daughter then, with plenteous wealth, and as much of rule as he +will; perchance thereby he will be well content to abide here ever." + +The king answered, "Seldom does it befall that kings offer their +daughters to any; yet in higher wise will it be done to offer her to +this man, than to take lowly prayers for her from others." + +On a night Gudrun pours out the drink, and Sigurd beholds her how fair +she is and how full of all courtesy. + +Five seasons Sigurd abode there, and ever they passed their days +together in good honour and friendship. + +And so it befell that the kings held talk together, and Giuki said -- + +"Great good thou givest us, Sigurd, and with exceeding strength thou +strengthenest our realm." + +Then Gunnar said, "All things that may be will we do for thee, so thou +abidest here long; both dominion shalt thou have, and our sister freely +and unprayed for, whom another man would not get for all his prayers." + +Sigurd says, "Thanks have ye for this wherewith ye honour me, and +gladly will I take the same." + +Therewith they swore brotherhood together, and to be even as if they +were children of one father and one mother; and a noble feast was +holden, and endured many days, and Sigurd drank at the wedding of him +and Gudrun; and there might men behold all manner of game and glee, and +each day the feast better and better. + +Now fare these folk wide over the world, and do many great deeds, and +slay many kings' sons, and no man has ever done such works of prowess as +did they; then home they come again with much wealth won in war. + +Sigurd gave of the serpent's heart to Gudrun, and she ate thereof, and +became greater-hearted, and wiser than ere before: and the son of these +twain was called Sigmund. + +Now on a time went Grimhild to Gunnar her son, and spake-- + +"Fair blooms the life and fortune of thee, but for one thing only, and +namely whereas thou art unwedded; go woo Brynhild; good rede is this, +and Sigurd will ride with thee." + +Gunnar answered, "Fair is she certes, and I am fain enow to win her;" +and therewith he tells his father, and his brethren, and Sigurd, and +they all prick him on to that wooing. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. The Wooing of Brynhild. + +Now they array them joyously for their journey, and ride over hill and +dale to the house of King Budli, and woo his daughter of him; in a good +wise he took their speech, if so be that she herself would not deny +them; but he said withal that so high-minded was she, that that man +only might wed her whom she would. + +Then they ride to Hlymdale, and there Heimir gave them good welcome; so +Gunnar tells his errand; Heimir says, that she must needs wed but him +whom she herself chose freely; and tells them how her abode was but a +little way thence, and that he deemed that him only would she have who +should ride through the flaming fire that was drawn round about her +hall; so they depart and come to the hall and the fire, and see there a +castle with a golden roof-ridge, and all round about a fire roaring up. + +Now Gunnar rode on Goti, but Hogni on Holkvi, and Gunnar smote his horse +to face the fire, but he shrank aback. + +Then said Sigurd, "Why givest thou back, Gunnar?" + +He answered, "The horse will not tread this fire; but lend me thy horse +Grani." + +"Yea, with all my good will," says Sigurd. + +Then Gunnar rides him at the fire, and yet nowise will Gram stir, nor +may Gunnar any the more ride through that fire. So now they change +semblance, Gunnar and Sigurd, even as Grimhild had taught them; then +Sigurd in the likeness of Gunnar mounts and rides, Gram in his hand, and +golden spurs on his heels; then leapt Grani into the fire when he felt +the spurs; and a mighty roar arose as the fire burned ever madder, and +the earth trembled, and the flames went up even unto the heavens, nor +had any dared to ride as he rode, even as it were through the deep mirk. + +But now the fire sank withal, and he leapt from his horse and went into +the hall, even as the song says-- + + "The flame flared at its maddest, + Earth's fields fell a-quaking + As the red flame aloft + Licked the lowest of heaven. + Few had been fain, + Of the rulers of folk, + To ride through that flame, + Or athwart it to tread. + + "Then Sigurd smote + Grani with sword, + And the flame was slaked + Before the king; + Low lay the flames + Before the fain of fame; + Bright gleamed the array + That Regin erst owned. + +Now when Sigurd had passed through the fire, he came into a certain fair +dwelling, and therein sat Brynhild. + +She asked, "What man is it?" + +Then he named himself Gunnar, son of Giuki, and said--"Thou art awarded +to me as my wife, by the good will and word of thy father and thy +foster-father, and I have ridden through the flames of thy fire, +according to thy word that thou hast set forth." + +"I wot not clearly," said she, "how I shall answer thee." + +Now Sigurd stood upright on the hall floor, and leaned on the hilt of +his sword, and he spake to Brynhild-- + +"In reward thereof, shall I pay thee a great dower in gold and goodly +things?" + +She answered in heavy mood from her seat, whereas she sat like unto swan +on billow, having a sword in her hand, and a helm on her head, and being +clad in a byrny, "O Gunnar," she says, "speak not to me of such things, +unless thou be the first and best of all men; for then shalt thou slay +those my wooers, if thou hast heart thereto; I have been in battles with +the king of the Greeks, and our weapons were stained with red blood, and for +such things still I yearn." + +He answered, "Yea, certes many great deeds hast thou done; but yet call +thou to mind thine oath, concerning the riding through of this fire, +wherein thou didst swear that thou wouldst go with the man who should do +this deed." + +So she found that he spoke but the sooth, and she paid heed to his +words, and arose, and greeted him meetly, and he abode there three +nights, and they lay in one bed together; but he took the sword Gram and +laid it betwixt them: then she asked him why he laid it there; and he +answered, that in that wise must he needs wed his wife or else get his +bane. + +Then she took from off her the ring Andvari's-loom, which he had given +her aforetime, and gave it to him, but he gave her another ring out of +Fafnir's hoard. + +Thereafter he rode away through the same fire unto his fellows, and he +and Gunnar changed semblances again, and rode unto Hlymdale, and told +how it had gone with them. + +That same day went Brynhild home to her foster-father, and tells him +as one whom she trusted, how that there had come a king to her; "And he +rode through my flaming fire, and said he was come to woo me, and named +himself Gunnar; but I said that such a deed might Sigurd alone have +done, with whom I plighted troth on the mountain; and he is my first +troth-plight, and my well-beloved." + +Heimir said that things must needs abide even as now they had now come +to pass. + +Brynhild said, "Aslaug the daughter of me and Sigurd shall be nourished +here with thee." + +Now the kings fare home, but Brynhild goes to her father; Grimhild +welcomes the kings meetly, and thanks Sigurd for his fellowship; and +withal is a great feast made, and many were the guests thereat; and +thither came Budli the King with his daughter Brynhild, and his son +Atli, and for many days did the feast endure: and at that feast was +Gunnar wedded to Brynhild: but when it was brought to an end, once more +has Sigurd memory of all the oaths that he sware unto Brynhild, yet +withal he let all things abide in rest and peace. + +Brynhild and Gunnar sat together in great game and glee, and drank +goodly wine. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. How the Queens held angry converse together at the +Bathing. + +On a day as the Queens went to the river to bathe them, Brynhild waded +the farthest out into the river; then asked Gudrun what that deed might +signify. + +Brynhild said, "Yea, and why then should I be equal to thee in this +matter more than in others? I am minded to think that my father is +mightier than thine, and my true love has wrought many wondrous works of +fame, and hath ridden the flaming fire withal, while thy husband was but +the thrall of King Hjalprek." + +Gudrun answered full of wrath, "Thou wouldst be wise if thou shouldst +hold thy peace rather than revile my husband: lo now, the talk of all +men it is, that none has ever abode in this world like unto him in all +matters soever; and little it beseems thee of all folk to mock him who +was thy first beloved: and Fafnir he slew, yea, and he rode thy flaming +fire, whereas thou didst deem that he was Gunnar the King, and by thy +side he lay, and took from thine hand the ring Andvari's-loom;--here +mayst thou well behold it!" + +Then Brynhild saw the ring and knew it, and waxed as wan as a dead +woman, and she went home and spake no word the evening long. + +So when Sigurd came to bed to Gudrun she asked him why Brynhild's joy +was so departed. + +He answered, "I know not, but sore I misdoubt me that soon we shall know +thereof overwell." + +Gudrun said, "Why may she not love her life, having wealth and bliss, +and the praise of all men, and the man withal that she would have?" + +"Ah, yea!" said Sigurd, "and where in all the world was she then, when +she said that she deemed she had the noblest of all men, and the dearest +to her heart of all?" + +Gudrun answers, "Tomorn will I ask her concerning this, who is the +liefest to her of all men for a husband." + +Sigurd said, "Needs must I forbid thee this, and full surely wilt thou +rue the deed if thou doest it." + +Now the next morning they sat in the bower, and Brynhild was silent; +then spake Gudrun-- + +"Be merry, Brynhild! Grievest thou because of that speech of ours +together, or what other thing slayeth thy bliss?" + +Brynhild answers, "With naught but evil intent thou sayest this, for a +cruel heart thou hast." + +"Say not so," said Gudrun; "but rather tell me all the tale." + +Brynhild answers, "Ask such things only as are good for thee to +know--matters meet for mighty dames. Good to love good things when all +goes according to thy heart's desire!" + +Gudrun says, "Early days for me to glory in that; but this word of thine +looketh toward some foreseeing. What ill dost thou thrust at us? I did +naught to grieve thee." + +Brynhild answers, "For this shalt thou pay, in that thou hast got Sigurd +to thee,--nowise can I see thee living in the bliss thereof, whereas +thou hast him, and the wealth and the might of him." + +But Gudrun answered, "Naught knew I of your words and vows together; and +well might my father look to the mating of me without dealing with thee +first." + +"No secret speech had we," quoth Brynhild, "though we swore oath +together; and full well didst thou know that thou wentest about to +beguile me; verily thou shalt have thy reward!" + +Says Gudrun, "Thou art mated better than thou are worthy of; but thy +pride and rage shall be hard to slake belike, and therefor shall many a +man pay." + +"Ah, I should be well content," said Brynhild, "if thou hadst not the +nobler man!" + +Gudrun answers, "So noble a husband hast thou, that who knows of a +greater king or a lord of more wealth and might?" + +Says Brynhild, "Sigurd slew Fafnir, and that only deed is of more worth +than all the might of King Gunnar." + +(Even as the song says): + + "The worm Sigurd slew, + Nor e'er shall that deed + Be worsened by age + While the world is alive: + But thy brother the King + Never durst, never bore + The flame to ride down + Through the fire to fare." + +Gudrun answers, "Grani would not abide the fire under Gunnar the King, +but Sigurd durst the deed, and thy heart may well abide without mocking +him." + +Brynhild answers, "Nowise will I hide from thee that I deem no good of +Grimhild." + +Says Gudrun, "Nay, lay no ill words on her, for in all things she is to +thee as to her own daughter." + +"Ah," says Brynhild, "she is the beginning of all this hale that biteth +so; an evil drink she bare to Sigurd, so that he had no more memory of +my very name." + +"All wrong thou talkest; a lie without measure is this," quoth Gudrun. + +Brynhild answered, "Have thou joy of Sigurd according to the measure of +the wiles wherewith ye have beguiled me! Unworthily have ye conspired +against me; may all things go with you as my heart hopes!" + +Gudrun says, "More joy shall I have of him than thy wish would give unto +me: but to no man's mind it came, that he had aforetime his pleasure of +me; nay not once." + +"Evil speech thou speakest," says Brynhild; "when thy wrath runs off +thou wilt rue it; but come now, let us no more cast angry words one at +the other!" + +Says Gudrun, "Thou wert the first to cast such words at me, and now thou +makest as if thou wouldst amend it, but a cruel and hard heart abides +behind." + +"Let us lay aside vain babble," says Brynhild. "Long did I hold my peace +concerning my sorrow of heart, and, lo now, thy brother alone do I love; +let us fall to other talk." + +Gudrun said, "Far beyond all this doth thine heart look." + +And so ugly ill befell from that going to the river, and that knowing of +the ring, wherefrom did all their talk arise. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. Of Brynhild's great Grief and Mourning. + +After this talk Brynhild lay a-bed, and tidings were brought to King +Gunnar that Brynhild was sick; he goes to see her thereon, and asks what +ails her; but she answered him naught, but lay there as one dead: and +when he was hard on her for an answer, she said-- + +"What didst thou with that ring that I gave thee, even the one which +King Budli gave me at our last parting, when thou and King Giuki came to +him and threatened fire and the sword, unless ye had me to wife? Yea, at +that time he led me apart, and asked me which I had chosen of those who +were come; but I prayed him that I might abide to ward the land and be +chief over the third part of his men; then were there two choices for me +to deal betwixt, either that I should be wedded to him whom he would, or +lose all my weal and friendship at his hands; and he said withal that +his friendship would be better to me than his wrath: then I bethought me +whether I should yield to his will, or slay many a man; and therewithal +I deemed that it would avail little to strive with him, and so it fell +out, that I promised to wed whomsoever should ride the horse Grani with +Fafnir's Hoard, and ride through my flaming fire, and slay those men +whom I called on him to slay, and now so it was, that none durst ride, +save Sigurd only, because he lacked no heart thereto; yea, and the Worm +he slew, and Regin, and five kings beside; but thou, Gunnar, durst do +naught; as pale as a dead man didst thou wax, and no king thou art, +and no champion; so whereas I made a vow unto my father, that him alone +would I love who was the noblest man alive, and that this is none save +Sigurd, lo, now have I broken my oath and brought it to naught, since +he is none of mine, and for this cause shall I compass thy death; and a +great reward of evil things have I wherewith to reward Grimhild;--never, +I wot, has woman lived eviler or of lesser heart than she." + +Gunnar answered in such wise that few might hear him, "Many a vile +word hast thou spoken, and an evil-hearted woman art thou, whereas thou +revilest a woman far better than thou; never would she curse her life +as thou dost; nay, nor has she tormented dead folk, or murdered any; but +lives her life well praised of all." + +Brynhild answered, "Never have I dwelt with evil things privily, or done +loathsome deeds;--yet most fain I am to slay thee." + +And therewith would she slay King Gunnar, but Hogni laid her in fetters; +but then Gunnar spake withal-- + +"Nay, I will not that she abide in fetters." + +Then said she, "Heed it not! For never again seest thou me glad in thine +hall, never drinking, never at the chess-play, never speaking the words +of kindness, never over-laying the fair cloths with gold, never giving +thee good counsel;--ah, my sorrow of heart that I might not get Sigurd +to me!" + +Then she sat up and smote her needlework, and rent it asunder, and bade +set open her bower doors, that far away might the wailings of her sorrow +be heard; then great mourning and lamentation there was, so that folk +heard it far and wide through that abode. + +Now Gudrun asked her bower-maidens why they sat so joyless and downcast. +"What has come to you, that ye fare ye as witless women, or what +unheard-of wonders have befallen you?" + +Then answered a waiting lady, hight Swaflod, "An untimely, an evil day +it is, and our hall is fulfilled of lamentation." + +Then spake Gudrun to one of her handmaids, "Arise, for we have slept +long; go, wake Brynhild, and let us fall to our needlework and be +merry." + +"Nay, nay," she says, "nowise may I wake her, or talk with her; for many +days has she drunk neither mead nor wine; surely the wrath of the Gods +has fallen upon her." + +Then spake Gudrun to Gunnar, "Go and see her," she says, "and bid her +know that I am grieved with her grief." + +"Nay," says Gunnar, "I am forbid to go see her or to share her weal." + +Nevertheless he went unto her, and strives in many wise to have speech +of her, but gets no answer whatsoever; therefore he gets him gone and +finds Hogni, and bids him go see her: he said he was loth thereto, but +went, and gat no more of her. + +Then they go and find Sigurd, and pray him to visit her; he answered +naught thereto, and so matters abode for that night. + +But the next day, when he came home from hunting, Sigurd went to Gudrun, +and spake-- + +"In such wise do matters show to me, as though great and evil things +will betide from this trouble and upheaving; and that Brynhild will +surely die." + +Gudrun answers, "O my lord, by great wonders is she encompassed, seven +days and seven nights has she slept, and none has dared wake her." + +"Nay, she sleeps not," said Sigurd, "her heart is dealing rather with +dreadful intent against me." + +Then said Gudrun, weeping, "Woe worth the while for thy death! Go and +see her; and wot if her fury may not be abated; give her gold, and +smother up her grief and anger therewith!" + +Then Sigurd went out, and found the door of Brynhild's chamber open; he +deemed she slept, and drew the clothes from off her, and said-- + +"Awake, Brynhild! The sun shineth now over all the house, and thou hast +slept enough; cast off grief from thee, and take up gladness!" + +She said, "And how then hast thou dared to come to me? in this treason +none was worse to me than thou." + +Said Sigurd, "Why wilt thou not speak to folk? for what cause sorrowest +thou?" + +Brynhild answers, "Ah, to thee will I tell of my wrath!" + +Sigurd said, "As one under a spell art thou, if thou deemest that there +is aught cruel in my heart against thee; but thou hast him for husband +whom thou didst choose." + +"Ah, nay," she said, "never did Gunnar ride through the fire to me, nor +did he give me to dower the host of the slain: I wondered at the man +who came into my hall; for I deemed indeed that I knew thine eyes; but I +might not see clearly, or divide the good from the evil, because of the +veil that lay heavy on my fortune." + +Says Sigurd, "No nobler men are there than the sons of Giuki, they slew +the king of the Danes, and that great chief, the brother of King Budli." + +Brynhild answered, "Surely for many an ill-deed must I reward them; mind +me not of my griefs against them! But thou, Sigurd, slewest the Worm, +and rodest the fire through; yea, and for my sake, and not one of the +sons of King Giuki." + +Sigurd answers, "I am not thy husband, and thou art not my wife; yet did +a farfamed king pay dower to thee." + +Says Brynhild, "Never looked I at Gunnar in such a wise that my heart +smiled on him; and hard and fell am I to him, though I hide it from +others." + +"A marvellous thing," says Sigurd, "not to love such a king; what angers +thee most? for surely his love should be better to thee than gold." + +"This is the sorest sorrow to me," she said, "that the bitter sword is +not reddened in thy blood." + +"Have no fear thereof!" says he, "no long while to wait or the bitter +sword stand deep in my heart; and no worse needest thou to pray for +thyself, for thou wilt not live when I am dead; the days of our two +lives shall be few enough from henceforth." + +Brynhild answers, "Enough and to spare of bale is in thy speech, since +thou bewrayedst me, and didst twin (1) me and all bliss;--naught do I +heed my life or death." + +Sigurd answers, "Ah, live, and love King Gunnar and me withal! and all +my wealth will I give thee if thou die not." + +Brynhild answers, "Thou knowest me not, nor the heart that is in me; +for thou art the first and best of all men, and I am become the most +loathsome of all women to thee." + +"This is truer," says Sigurd, "that I loved thee better than myself, +though I fell into the wiles from whence our lives may not escape; for +whenso my own heart and mind availed me, then I sorrowed sore that thou +wert not my wife; but as I might I put my trouble from me, for in a +king's dwelling was I; and withal and in spite of all I was well content +that we were all together. Well may it be, that that shall come to pass +which is foretold; neither shall I fear the fulfilment thereof." + +Brynhild answered, and said, "Too late thou tellest me that my grief +grieved thee: little pity shall I find now." + +Sigurd said, "This my heart would, that thou and I should go into one +bed together; even so wouldst thou be my wife." + +Said Brynhild, "Such words may nowise be spoken, nor will I have two +kings in one hall; I will lay my life down rather than beguile Gunnar +the King." + +And therewith she call to mind how they met, they two, on the mountain, +and swore oath each to each. + +"But now is all changed, and I will not live." + +"I might not call to mind thy name," said Sigurd, "or know thee again, +before the time of thy wedding; the greatest of all griefs is that." + +Then said Brynhild, "I swore an oath to wed the man who should ride my +flaming fire, and that oath will I hold to, or die." + +"Rather than thou die, I will wed thee, and put away Gudrun," said +Sigurd. + +But therewithal so swelled the heart betwixt the sides of him, that the +rings of his byrny burst asunder. + +"I will not have thee," says Brynhild, "nay, nor any other!" + +Then Sigurd got him gone. + +So saith the song of Sigurd-- + + "Out then went Sigurd, + The great kings' well-loved, + From the speech and the sorrow, + Sore drooping, so grieving, + That the shirt round about him + Of iron rings woven, + From the sides brake asunder + Of the brave in the battle." + +So when Sigurd came into the hall, Gunnar asked if he had come to a +knowledge of what great grief lay heavy on her, or if she had power of +speech: and Sigurd said that she lacked it not. So now Gunnar goes +to her again, and asked her, what wrought her woe, or if there were +anything that might amend it. + +"I will not live," says Brynhild, "for Sigurd has bewrayed me, yea, +and thee no less, whereas thou didst suffer him to come into my bed: +lo thou, two men in one dwelling I will not have; and this shall be +Sigurd's death, or thy death, or my death;--for now has he told Gudrun +all, and she is mocking me even now!" + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Sunder. + + + +CHAPTER XXX. Of the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + +Thereafter Brynhild went out, and sat under her bower-wall, and had +many words of wailing to say, and still she cried that all things were +loathsome to her, both land and lordship alike, so she might not have +Sigurd. + +But therewith came Gunnar to her yet again, and Brynhild spake, "Thou +shalt lose both realm and wealth, and thy life and me, for I shall fare +home to my kin, and abide there in sorrow, unless thou slayest Sigurd +and his son; never nourish thou a wolfcub." + +Gunnar grew sick at heart thereat, and might nowise see what fearful +thing lay beneath it all; he was bound to Sigurd by oath, and this way +and that way swung the heart within him; but at the last he bethought +him of the measureless shame if his wife went from him, and he said +within himself, "Brynhild is better to me than all things else, and the +fairest woman of all women, and I will lay down my life rather than lose +the love of her." And herewith he called to him his brother and spake,-- + +"Trouble is heavy on me," and he tells him that he must needs slay +Sigurd, for that he has failed him where in he trusted him; "so let us +be lords of the gold and the realm withal." + +Hogni answers, "Ill it behoves us to break our oaths with wrack and +wrong, and withal great aid we have in him; no kings shall be as +great as we, if so be the King of the Hun-folk may live; such another +brother-in-law never may we get again; bethink thee how good it is to +have such a brother-in-law, and such sons to our sister! But well I see +how things stand, for this has Brynhild stirred thee up to, and surely +shall her counsel drag us into huge shame and scathe." + +Gunnar says, "Yet shall it be brought about: and, lo, a rede +thereto;--let us egg on our brother Guttorm to the deed; he is young, +and of little knowledge, and is clean out of all the oaths moreover." + +"Ah, set about in ill wise," says Hogni, "and though indeed it may well +be compassed, a due reward shall we gain for the bewrayal of such a man +as is Sigurd." + +Gunnar says, "Sigurd shall die, or I shall die." + +And therewith he bids Brynhild arise and be glad at heart: so she arose, +and still ever she said that Gunnar should come no more into her bed +till the deed was done. + +So the brothers fall to talk, and Gunnar says that it is a deed well +worthy of death, that taking of Brynhild's maidenhead; "So come now, let +us prick on Guttorm to do the deed." + +Therewith they call him to them, and offer him gold and great dominion, +as they well have might to do. Yea, and they took a certain worm and +somewhat of wolf's flesh and let seethe them together, and gave him to +eat of the same, even as the singer sings-- + + "Fish of the wild-wood, + Worm smooth crawling, + With wolf-meat mingled, + They minced for Guttorm; + Then in the beaker, + In the wine his mouth knew, + They set it, still doing + More deeds of wizards. + +Wherefore with the eating of this meat he grew so wild and eager, and +with all things about him, and with the heavy words of Grimhild, that +he gave his word to do the deed; and mighty honour they promised him in +reward thereof. + +But of these evil wiles naught at all knew Sigurd, for he might not deal +with his shapen fate, nor the measure of his life-days, neither deemed +he that he was worthy of such things at their hands. + +So Guttorm went in to Sigurd the next morning as he lay upon his bed, +yet durst he not do aught against him, but shrank back out again; yea, +and even so he fared a second time, for so bright and eager were the +eyes of Sigurd that few durst look upon him. But the third time he went +in, and there lay Sigurd asleep; then Guttorm drew his sword and thrust +Sigurd through in such wise that the sword point smote into the bed +beneath him; then Sigurd awoke with that wound, and Guttorm gat him unto +the door; but therewith Sigurd caught up the sword Gram, and cast it +after him, and it smote him on the back, and struck him asunder in the +midst, so that the feet of him fell one way, and the head and hands back +into the chamber. + +Now Gudrun lay asleep on Sigurd's bosom, but she woke up unto woe that +may not be told of, all swimming in the blood of him, and in such wise +did she bewail her with weeping and words of sorrow, that Sigurd rose up +on the bolster, and spake. + +"Weep not," said he, "for thy brothers live for thy delight; but a young +son have I, too young to be ware of his foes; and an ill turn have these +played against their own fortune; for never will they get a mightier +brother-in-law to ride abroad with them; nay, nor a better son to their +sister, than this one, if he may grow to man's estate. Lo, now is that +come to pass which was foretold me long ago, but from mine eyes has it +been hidden, for none may fight against his fate and prevail. Behold +this has Brynhild brought to pass, even she who loves me before all +men; but this may I swear, that never have I wrought ill to Gunnar, but +rather have ever held fast to my oath with him, nor was I ever too much +a friend to his wife. And now if I had been forewarned, and had been +afoot with my weapons, then should many a man have lost his life or +ever I had fallen, and all those brethren should have been slain, and +a harder work would the slaying of me have been than the slaying of the +mightiest bull or the mightiest boar of the wild-wood." + +And even therewithal life left the King; but Gudrun moaned and drew +a weary breath, and Brynhild heard it, and laughed when she heard her +moaning. + +Then said Gunnar, "Thou laughest not because thy heart-roots are +gladdened, or else why doth thy visage wax so wan? Sure an evil creature +thou art; most like thou art nigh to thy death! Lo now, how meet would +it be for thee to behold thy brother Atli slain before thine eyes, and +that thou shouldst stand over him dead; whereas we must needs now +stand over our brother-in-law in such a case, our brother-in-law and our +brother's bane." + +She answered, "None need mock at the measure of slaughter being +unfulfilled; yet heedeth not Atli your wrath or your threats; yea, he +shall live longer than ye, and be a mightier man." + +Hogni spake and said, "Now hath come to pass the soothsaying of +Brynhild; an ill work not to be atoned for." + +And Gudrun said, "My kinsmen have slain my husband; but ye, when ye next +ride to the war and are come into the battle, then shall ye look about +and see that Sigurd is neither on the right hand nor the left, and ye +shall know that he was your good-hap and your strength; and if he +had lived and had sons, then should ye have been strengthened by his +offspring and his kin." + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd dead, as it is +told told in ancient Songs. (1) + + Gudrun of old days + Drew near to dying + As she sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Yet she sighed not + Nor smote hand on hand, + Nor wailed she aught + As other women. + + Then went earls to her. + Full of all wisdom, + Fain help to deal + To her dreadful heart: + Hushed was Gudrun + Of wail, or greeting, + But with a heavy woe + Was her heart a-breaking. + + Bright and fair + Sat the great earls' brides, + Gold arrayed + Before Gudrun; + Each told the tale + Of her great trouble, + The bitterest bale + She erst abode. + + Then spake Giaflaug, + Giuki's sister: + "Lo upon earth + I live most loveless + Who of five mates + Must see the ending, + Of daughters twain + And three sisters, + Of brethren eight, + And abide behind lonely." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail and greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Herborg + Queen of Hunland-- + "Crueller tale + Have I to tell of, + Of my seven sons + Down in the Southlands, + And the eighth man, my mate, + Felled in the death-mead. + + "Father and mother, + And four brothers, + On the wide sea + The winds and death played with; + The billows beat + On the bulwark boards. + + "Alone must I sing o'er them, + Alone must I array them, + Alone must my hands deal with + Their departing; + And all this was + In one season's wearing, + And none was left + For love or solace. + + "Then was I bound + A prey of the battle, + When that same season + Wore to its ending; + As a tiring may + Must I bind the shoon + Of the duke's high dame, + Every day at dawning. + + "From her jealous hate + Gat I heavy mocking, + Cruel lashes + She laid upon me, + Never met I + Better master + Or mistress worser + In all the wide world." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail or greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "O foster-mother, + Wise as thou mayst be, + Naught canst thou better + The young wife's bale." + And she bade uncover + The dead King's corpse. + + She swept the sheet + Away from Sigurd, + And turned his cheek + Towards his wife's knees-- + "Look on thy loved one + Lay lips to his lips, + E'en as thou wert clinging + To thy king alive yet!" + + Once looked Gudrun-- + One look only, + And saw her lord's locks + Lying all bloody, + The great man's eyes + Glazed and deadly, + And his heart's bulwark + Broken by sword-edge. + + Back then sank Gudrun, + Back on the bolster, + Loosed was her head array, + Red did her cheeks grow, + And the rain-drops ran + Down over her knees. + + Then wept Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + So that the tears flowed + Through the pillow; + As the geese withal + That were in the homefield, + The fair fowls the may owned, + Fell a-screaming. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Surely knew I + No love like your love + Among all men, + On the mould abiding; + Naught wouldst thou joy in + Without or within doors, + O my sister, + Save beside Sigurd." + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Such was my Sigurd + Among the sons of Giuki, + As is the king leek + O'er the low grass waxing, + Or a bright stone + Strung on band, + Or a pearl of price + On a prince's brow. + + "Once was I counted + By the king's warriors + Higher than any + Of Herjan's mays; + Now am I as little + As the leaf may be, + Amid wind-swept wood + Now when dead he lieth. + + I miss from my seat, + I miss from my bed, + My darling of sweet speech. + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + This sore sorrow, + Yea, for their sister, + Most sore sorrow. + + "So may your lands + Lie waste on all sides, + As ye have broken + Your bounden oaths! + Ne'er shalt thou, Gunnar, + The gold have joy of; + The dear-bought rings + Shall drag thee to death, + Whereon thou swarest + Oath unto Sigurd. + + Ah, in the days by-gone + Great mirth in the homefield + When my Sigurd + Set saddle on Grani, + And they went their ways + For the wooing of Brynhild! + An ill day, an ill woman, + And most ill hap!" + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter-- + "May the woman lack + Both love and children, + Who gained greeting + For thee, O Gudrun! + Who gave thee this morning + Many words!" + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Hold peace of such words + Thou hated of all folk! + The bane of brave men + Hast thou been ever, + All waves of ill + Wash over thy mind, + To seven great kings + Hast thou been a sore sorrow, + And the death of good will + To wives and women." + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter-- + "None but Atli + Brought bale upon us, + My very brother + Born of Budli. + + When we saw in the hall + Of the Hunnish people + The gold a-gleaming + On the kingly Giukings; + I have paid for that faring + Oft and full, + And for the sight + That then I saw." + + By a pillar she stood + And strained its wood to her; + From the eyes of Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Flashed out fire, + And she snorted forth venom, + As the sore wounds she gazed on + Of the dead-slain Sigurd. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is the Eddaic poem, called the first Lay of + Gudrun, inserted here by the translators. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. Of the Ending of Brynhild. + +And now none might know for what cause Brynhild must bewail with weeping +for what she had prayed for with laughter: but she spake-- + +"Such a dream I had, Gunnar, as that my bed was acold, and that thou +didst ride into the hands of thy foes: lo now, ill shall it go with thee +and all thy kin, O ye breakers of oaths; for on the day thou slayedst +him, dimly didst thou remember how thou didst blend thy blood with the +blood of Sigurd, and with an ill reward hast thou rewarded him for all +that he did well to thee; whereas he gave unto thee to be the mightiest +of men; and well was it proven how fast he held to his oath sworn, when +he came to me and laid betwixt us the sharp-edged sword that in venom +had been made hard. All too soon did ye fall to working wrong against +him and against me, whenas I abode at home with my father, and had all +that I would, and had no will that any one of you should be any of mine, +as ye rode into our garth, ye three kings together; but then Atli led me +apart privily, and asked me if I would not have him who rode Grani; yea, +a man nowise like unto you; but in those days I plighted myself to the +son of King Sigmund and no other; and lo, now, no better shall ye fare +for the death of me." + +Then rose up Gunnar, and laid his arms about her neck, and besought her +to live and have wealth from him; and all others in likewise letted her +from dying; but she thrust them all from her, and said that it was not +the part of any to let her in that which was her will. + +Then Gunnar called to Hogni, and prayed him for counsel, and bade him go +to her, and see if he might perchance soften her dreadful heart, saying +withal, that now they had need enough on their hands in the slaking of +her grief, till time might get over. + +But Hogni answered, "Nay, let no man hinder her from dying; for no gain +will she be to us, nor has she been gainsome since she came hither! + +Now she bade bring forth much gold, and bade all those come thither who +would have wealth: then she caught up a sword, and thrust it under her +armpit, and sank aside upon the pillows, and said, "Come, take gold +whoso will!" + +But all held their peace, and she said, "Take the gold, and be glad +thereof!" + +And therewith she spake unto Gunnar, "Now for a little while will I tell +of that which shall come to pass hereafter; for speedily shall ye be +at one again with Gudrun by the rede of Grimhild the Wise-wife; and the +daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd shall be called Swanhild, the fairest of +all women born. Gudrun shall be given to Atli, yet not with her good +will. Thou shalt be fain to get Oddrun, but that shall Atli forbid thee; +but privily shall ye meet, and much shall she love thee. Atli shall +bewray thee, and cast thee into a worm-close, and thereafter shall Atli +and his sons be slain, and Gudrun shall be their slayer; and afterwards +shall the great waves bear her to the burg of King Jonakr, to whom she +shall bear sons of great fame: Swanhild shall be sent from the land +and given to King Jormunrek; and her shall bite the rede of Bikki, and +therewithal is the kin of you clean gone; and more sorrows therewith for +Gudrun. + +"And now I pray thee, Gunnar, one last boon.--Let make a great bale on +the plain meads for all of us; for me, and for Sigurd, and for those who +were slain with him, and let that be covered over with cloth dyed red by +the folk of the Gauls, (1) and burn me thereon on one side of the King +of the Huns, and on the other those men of mine, two at the head and two +at the feet, and two hawks withal; and even so is all shared equally; +and lay there betwixt us a drawn sword, as in the other days when we +twain stepped into one bed together; and then may we have the name of +man and wife, nor shall the door swing to at the heel of him as I go +behind him. Nor shall that be a niggard company if there follow him +those five bond-women and eight bondmen, whom my father gave me, and +those burn there withal who were slain with Sigurd. + +"Now more yet would I say, but for my wounds, but my life-breath flits; +the wounds open,--yet have I said sooth." + +Now is the dead corpse of Sigurd arrayed in olden wise, and a mighty +bale is raised, and when it was somewhat kindled, there was laid thereon +the dead corpse of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and his son of three winters +whom Brynhild had let slay, and Guttorm withal; and when the bale was +all ablaze, thereunto was Brynhild borne out, when she had spoken with +her bower-maidens, and bid them take the gold that she would give; and +then died Brynhild, and was burned there by the side of Sigurd, and thus +their life-days ended. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "raudu manna blodi", red-dyed in the blood + of men; the Sagaman's original error in dealing with the + word "Valaript" in the corresponding passage of the short + lay of Sigurd.--Tr. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. Gudrun wedded to Atli. + +Now so it is, that whoso heareth these tidings sayeth, that no such an +one as was Sigurd was left behind him in the world, nor ever was such a +man brought forth because of all the worth of him, nor may his name ever +minish by eld in the Dutch Tongue nor in all the Northern Lands, while +the world standeth fast. + +The story tells that, on a day, as Gudrun sat in her bower, she fell to +saying, "Better was life in those days when I had Sigurd; he who was far +above other men as gold is above iron, or the leek over other grass +of the field, or the hart over other wild things; until my brethren +begrudged me such a man, the first and best of all men; and so they +might not sleep or they had slain him. Huge clamour made Grani when he +saw his master and lord sore wounded, and then I spoke to him even as +with a man, but he fell drooping down to the earth, for he knew that +Sigurd was slain." + +Thereafter Gudrun gat her gone into the wild woods, and heard on all +ways round about her the howling of wolves, and deemed death a merrier +thing than life. Then she went till she came to the hall of King Alf, +and sat there in Denmark with Thora, the daughter of Hakon, for seven +seasons, and abode with good welcome. And she set forth her needlework +before her, and did thereinto many deeds and great, and fair plays after +the fashion of those days, swords and byrnies, and all the gear of +kings, and the ship of King Sigmund sailing along the land; yea, and +they wrought there, how they fought, Sigar and Siggeir, south in Fion. +Such was their disport; and now Gudrun was somewhat solaced of her +grief. + +So Grimhild comes to hear where Gudrun has take up her abode, and +she calls her sons to talk with her, and asks whether they will make +atonement to Gudrun for her son and her husband, and said that it was +but meet and right to do so. + +Then Gunnar spake, and said that he would atone for her sorrows with +gold. + +So they send for their friends, and array their horses, their helms, +and their shields, and their byrnies, and all their war-gear; and their +journey was furnished forth in the noblest wise, and no champion who +was of the great men might abide at home; and their horses were clad in +mail-coats, and every knight of them had his helm done over with gold or +with silver. + +Grimhild was of their company, for she said that their errand would +never be brought fairly to pass if she sat at home. + +There were well five hundred men, and noble men rode with them. There +was Waldemar of Denmark, and Eymod and Jarisleif withal. So they went +into the hall of King Alf, and there abode them the Longbeards and +Franks, and Saxons: they fared with all their war-gear, and had over +them red fur-coats. Even as the song says-- + + "Byrnies short cut, + Strong helms hammered, + Girt with good swords, + Red hair gleaming." + +They were fain to choose good gifts for their sister, and spake softly +to her, but in none of them would she trow. Then Gunnar brought unto her +a drink mingled with hurtful things, and this she must needs drink, and +with the drinking thereof she had no more memory of their guilt against +her. + +But in that drink was blended the might of the earth and the sea with +the blood of her son; and in that horn were all letters cut and reddened +with blood, as is said hereunder-- + + "On the horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that beer were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood + And brown-burnt acorns, + The black dew of the hearth, + The God-doomed dead beast's inwards, + And the swine's liver sodden + Because all wrongs that deadens. + +And so now, when their hearts are brought anigh to each other, great +cheer they made: then came Grimhild to Gudrun, and spake: + +"All hail to thee, daughter! I give thee gold and all kinds of good +things to take to thee after thy father, dear-bought rings and bed-gear +of the maids of the Huns, the most courteous and well dight of all +women; and thus is thy husband atoned for: and thereafter shalt thou be +given to Atli, the mighty king, and be mistress of all his might. Cast +not all thy friends aside for one man's sake, but do according to our +bidding." + +Gudrun answers, "Never will I wed Atli the King: unseemly it is for us +to get offspring betwixt us." + +Grimhild says, "Nourish not thy wrath; it shall be to thee as if Sigurd +and Sigmund were alive when thou hast borne sons." + +Gudrun says, "I cannot take my heart from thoughts of him, for he was +the first of all men." + +Grimhild says, "So it is shapen that thou must have this king and none +else." + +Says Gudrun, "Give not this man to me, for an evil thing shall come +upon thy kin from him, and to his own sons shall he deal evil, and be +rewarded with a grim revenge thereafter." + +Then waxed Grimhild fell at those words, and spake, "Do even as we +bid thee, and take therefore great honour, and our friendship, and the +steads withal called Vinbjorg and Valbjorg." + +And such might was in the words of her, that even so must it come to +pass. + +Then Gudrun spake, "Thus then must it needs befall, howsoever against +the will of me, and for little joy shall it be and for great grief." + +Then men leaped on their horses, and their women were set in wains. So +they fared four days a-riding and other four a-shipboard, and yet four +more again by land and road, till at the last they came to a certain +high-built hall; then came to meet Gudrun many folk thronging; and +an exceedingly goodly feast was there made, even as the word had gone +between either kin, and it passed forth in most proud and stately wise. +And at that feast drinks Atli his bridal with Gudrun; but never did her +heart laugh on him, and little sweet and kind was their life together. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. Atli bids the Giukings to him. + +Now tells the tale that on a night King Atli woke from sleep and spake +to Gudrun-- + +"Medreamed," said he, "that thou didst thrust me through with a sword." + +Then Gudrun areded the dream, and said that it betokened fire, whenas +folk dreamed of iron. "It befalls of thy pride belike, in that thou +deemest thyself the first of men." + +Atli said, "Moreover I dreamed that here waxed two sorb-tree (1) +saplings, and fain I was that they should have no scathe of me; then +these were riven up by the roots and reddened with blood, and borne to +the bench, and I was bidden eat thereof. + +"Yea, yet again I dreamed that two hawks flew from my hand hungry and +unfed, and fared to hell, and meseemed their hearts were mingled with +honey, and that I ate thereof. + +"And then again I dreamed that two fair whelps lay before me yelling +aloud, and that the flesh of them I ate, though my will went not with +the eating." + +Gudrun says, "Nowise good are these dreams, yet shall they come to pass; +surely thy sons are nigh to death, and many heavy things shall fall upon +us." + +"Yet again I dreamed," said he, "and methought I lay in a bath, and folk +took counsel to slay me." + +Now these things wear away with time, but in nowise was their life +together fond. + +Now falls Atli to thinking of where may be gotten that plenteous gold +which Sigurd had owned, but King Gunnar and his brethren were lords +thereof now. + +Atli was a great king and mighty, wise, and a lord of many men; and now +he falls to counsel with his folk as to the ways of them. He wotted well +that Gunnar and his brethren had more wealth than any others might have, +and so he falls to the rede of sending men to them, and bidding them +to a great feast, and honouring them in diverse wise, and the chief of +those messengers was hight Vingi. + +Now the queen wots of their conspiring, and misdoubts her that this +would mean some beguiling of her brethren: so she cut runes, and took a +gold ring, and knit therein a wolf's hair, and gave it into the hands of +the king's messengers. + +Thereafter they go their ways according to the king's bidding; and or +ever they came aland Vingi beheld the runes, and turned them about in +such wise as if Gudrun prayed her brethren in her runes to go meet King +Atli. + +Thereafter they came to the hall of King Gunnar, and had good welcome at +his hands, and great fires were made for them, and in great joyance they +drank of the best of drink. + +Then spake Vingi, "King Atli sends me hither, and is fain that ye go +to his house and home in all glory, and take of him exceeding honours, +helms and shields, swords and byrnies, gold and goodly raiment, horses, +hosts of war, and great and wide lands, for, saith he, he is fainest of +all things to bestow his realm and lordship upon you." + +Then Gunnar turned his head aside, and spoke to Hogni-- + +"In what wise shall we take this bidding? might and wealth he bids us +take; but no kings know I who have so much gold as we have, whereas +we have all the hoard which lay once on Gnitaheath; and great are our +chambers, and full of gold, and weapons for smiting, and all kinds of +raiment of war, and well I wot that amidst all men my horse is the best, +and my sword the sharpest, and my gold the most glorious." + +Hogni answers, "A marvel is it to me of his bidding, for seldom hath he +done in such a wise, and ill-counselled will it be to wend to him; lo +now, when I saw those dear-bought things the king sends us I wondered to +behold a wolf's hair knit to a certain gold ring; belike Gudrun deems him +to be minded as a wolf towards us, and will have naught of our faring." + +But withal Vingi shows him the runes which he said Gudrun had sent. + +Now the most of folk go to bed, but these drank on still with certain +others; and Kostbera, the wife of Hogni, the fairest of women, came to +them, and looked on the runes. + +But the wife of Gunnar was Glaumvor, a great-hearted wife. + +So these twain poured out, and the kings drank, and were exceeding +drunken, and Vingi notes it, and says-- + +"Naught may I hide that King Atli is heavy of foot and over-old for the +warding of his realm; but his sons are young and of no account: now will +he give you rule over his realms while they are yet thus young, and most +fain will he be that ye have the joy thereof before all others." + +Now so it befell both that Gunnar was drunk, and that great dominion was +held out to him, nor might he work against the fate shapen for him; so +he gave his word to go, and tells Hogni his brother thereof. + +But he answered, "Thy word given must even stand now, nor will I fail to +follow thee, but most loth am I to this journey." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Service-tree; "pyrus sorbus domestica", or "p. s. + tormentalis. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings. + +So when men had drunk their fill, they fared to sleep; then falls +Kostbera to beholding the runes, and spelling over the letters, and sees +that beneath were other things cut, and that the runes are guileful; +yet because of her wisdom she had skill to read them aright. So then she +goes to bed by her husband; but when they awoke, she spake unto Hogni-- + +"Thou art minded to wend away from home--ill-counselled is that; abide +till another time! Scarce a keen reader of runes art thou, if thou +deemest thou hast beheld in them the bidding of thy sister to this +journey: lo, I read the runes, and had marvel of so wise a woman +as Gudrun is, that she should have miscut them; but that which lieth +underneath beareth your bane with it,--yea, either she lacked a letter, +or others have dealt guilefully with the runes. + +"And now hearken to my dream; for therein methought there fell in upon +us here a river exceeding strong, and brake up the timbers of the hall." + +He answered, "Full oft are ye evil of mind, ye women, but for me, I +was not made in such wise as to meet men with evil who deserve no evil; +belike he will give us good welcome." + +She answered, "Well, the thing must ye yourselves prove, but no +friendship follows this bidding:--but yet again I dreamed that another +river fell in here with a great and grimly rush, and tore up the dais +of the hall, and brake the legs of both you brethren; surely that +betokeneth somewhat." + +He answers, "Meadows along our way, whereas thou didst dream of the +river; for when we go through the meadows, plentifully doth the seeds of +the hay hang about our legs." + +"Again I dreamed," she says, "that thy cloak was afire, and that the +flame blazed up above the hall." + +Says he, "Well, I wot what that shall betoken; here lieth my fair-dyed +raiment, and it shall burn and blaze, whereas thou dreamedst of the +cloak." + +"Methought a bear came in," she says, "and brake up the king's +high-seat, and shook his paws in such a wise that we were all adrad +thereat, and he gat us all together into the mouth of him, so that we +might avail us naught, and thereof fell great horror on us." + +He answered, "Some great storm will befall, whereas thou hadst a white +bear in thy mind." + +"An erne methought came in," she says, "and swept adown the hall, and +drenched me and all of us with blood, and ill shall that betoken, for +methought it was the double of King Atli." + +He answered, "Full oft do we slaughter beasts freely, and smite down +great neat for our cheer, and the dream of the erne has but to do with +oxen; yea, Atli is heart-whole toward us." + +And therewithal they cease this talk. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. Of the Journey of the Giukings to King Atli. + +Now tells the tale of Gunnar, that in the same wise it fared with him; +for when they awoke, Glaumvor his wife told him many dreams which seemed +to her like to betoken guile coming; but Gunnar areded them all in other +wise. + +"This was one of them," said she; "methought a bloody sword was borne +into the hall here, wherewith thou wert thrust through, and at either +end of that sword wolves howled." + +The king answered, "Cur dogs shall bite me belike; blood-stained weapons +oft betoken dogs' snappings." + +She said, "Yet again I dreamed--that women came in, heavy and drooping, +and chose thee for their mate; may-happen these would be thy fateful +women." + +He answered, "Hard to arede is this, and none may set aside the fated +measure of his days, nor is it unlike that my time is short." (1) + +So in the morning they arose, and were minded for the journey, but some +letted them herein. + +Then cried Gunnar to the man who is called Fjornir-- + +"Arise, and give us to drink goodly wine from great tuns, because +mayhappen this shall be very last of all our feasts; for belike if we +die the old wolf shall come by the gold, and that bear shall nowise +spare the bite of his war-tusks." + +Then all the folk of his household brought them on their way weeping. + +The son of Hogni said-- + +"Fare ye well with merry tide." + +The more part of their folk were left behind; Solar and Snaevar, the +sons of Hogni, fared with them, and a certain great champion, named +Orkning, who was the brother of Kostbera. + +So folk followed them down to the ships, and all letted them of their +journey, but attained to naught therein. + +Then spake Glaumvor, and said-- + +"O Vingi, most like that great ill hap will come of thy coming, and +mighty and evil things shall betide in thy travelling." + +He answered, "Hearken to my answer; that I lie not aught: and may the +high gallows and all things of grame have me, if I lie one word!" + +Then cried Kostbera, "Fare ye well with merry days." + +And Hogni answered, "Be glad of heart, howsoever it may fare with us!" + +And therewith they parted, each to their own fate. Then away they rowed, +so hard and fast, that well-nigh the half of the keel slipped away from +the ship, and so hard they laid on to the oars that thole and gunwale +brake. + +But when they came aland they made their ship fast, and then they rode +awhile on their noble steeds through the murk wild-wood. + +And now they behold the king's army, and huge uproar, and the clatter of +weapons they hear from thence; and they see there a mighty host of men, +and the manifold array of them, even as they wrought there: and all the +gates of the burg were full of men. + +So they rode up to the burg, and the gates thereof were shut; then Hogni +brake open the gates, and therewith they ride into the burg. + +Then spake Vingi, "Well might ye have left this deed undone; go to now, +bide ye here while I go seek your gallows-tree! Softly and sweetly I +bade you hither, but an evil thing abode thereunder; short while to bide +ere ye are tied up to that same tree!" + +Hogni answered, "None the more shall we waver for that cause; for little +methinks have we shrunk aback whenas men fell to fight; and naught +shall it avail thee to make us afeard,--and for an ill fate hast thou +wrought." + +And therewith they cast him down to earth, and smote him with their +axe-hammers till he died. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Parallel beliefs to those in the preceding chapters, and + elsewhere in this book, as to spells, dreams, drinks, etc., + among the English people may be found in "Leechdoms, + Wortcunning, and Starcraft of the Anglo-Saxons; being a + collection of Documents illustrating the History of Science + in this Country before the Norman Conquest". Ed: Rev. T. O. + Cockayne, M.A. (3 vols.) Longmans, London, 1864, 8vo. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. The Battle in the Burg of King Atli. + +Then they rode unto the king's hall, and King Atli arrayed his host for +battle, and the ranks were so set forth that a certain wall there was +betwixt them and the brethren. + +"Welcome hither," said he. "Deliver unto me that plenteous gold which is +mine of right; even the wealth which Sigurd once owned, and which is now +Gudrun's of right." + +Gunnar answered, "Never gettest thou that wealth; and men of might must +thou meet here, or ever we lay by life if thou wilt deal with us in +battle; ah, belike thou settest forth this feast like a great man, and +wouldst not hold thine hand from erne and wolf!" + +"Long ago I had it in my mind," said Atli, "to take the lives of you, and +be lord of the gold, and reward you for that deed of shame, wherein ye +beguiled the best of all your affinity; but now shall I revenge him." + +Hogni answered, "Little will it avail to lie long brooding over that +rede, leaving the work undone." + +And therewith they fell to hard fighting, at the first brunt with shot. + +But therewithal came the tidings to Gudrun, and when she heard thereof +she grew exceeding wroth, and cast her mantle from her, and ran out and +greeted those new-comers, and kissed her brethren, and showed them all +love,--and the last of all greetings was that betwixt them. + +Then said she, "I thought I had set forth counsels whereby ye should not +come hither, but none may deal with his shapen fate." And withal she +said, "Will it avail aught to seek for peace?" + +But stoutly and grimly they said nay thereto. So she sees that the +game goeth sorely against her brethren, and she gathers to her great +stoutness of heart, and does on her a mail-coat and takes to her a +sword, and fights by her brethren, and goes as far forward as the +bravest of man-folk: and all spoke in one wise that never saw any fairer +defence than in her. + +Now the men fell thick, and far before all others was the fighting of +those brethren, and the battle endured a long while unto midday; Gunnar +and Hogni went right through the folk of Atli, and so tells the tale +that all the mead ran red with blood; the sons of Hogni withal set on +stoutly. + +Then spake Atli the king, "A fair host and a great have we, and mighty +champions withal, and yet have many of us fallen, and but evil am I +apaid in that nineteen of my champions are slain, and but left six +alive." + +And therewithal was there a lull in the battle. + +Then spake Atli the king, "Four brethren were we, and now am I left +alone; great affinity I gat to me, and deemed my fortune well sped +thereby; a wife I had, fair and wise, high of mind, and great of heart; +but no joyance may I have of her wisdom, for little peace is betwixt +us,--but ye--ye have slain many of my kin, and beguiled me of realm and +riches, and for the greatest of all woes have slain my sister withal." + +Quoth Hogni, "Why babblest thou thus? thou wert the first to break the +peace. Thou didst take my kinswoman and pine her to death by hunger, and +didst murder her, and take her wealth; an ugly deed for a king!--meet +for mocking and laughter I deem it, that thou must needs make long tale +of thy woes; rather will I give thanks to the Gods that thou fallest +into ill." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. Of the slaying of the Giukings. + +Now King Atli eggs on his folk to set on fiercely, and eagerly they +fight; but the Giukings fell on so hard that King Atli gave back into +the hall, and within doors was the fight, and fierce beyond all fights. + +That battle was the death of many a man, but such was the ending +thereof, that there fell all the folk of those brethren, and they twain +alone stood up on their feet, and yet many more must fare to hell first +before their weapons. + +And now they fell on Gunnar the king, and because of the host of men +that set on him was hand laid on him, and he was cast into fetters; +afterwards fought Hogni, with the stoutest heart and the greatest +manlihood; and he felled to earth twenty of the stoutest of the +champions of King Atli, and many he thrust into the fire that burnt +amidst the hall, and all were of one accord that such a man might scarce +be seen; yet in the end was he borne down by many and taken. + +Then said King Atli, "A marvellous thing how many men have gone their +ways before him! Cut the heart from out of him, and let that be his +bane!" + +Hogni said, "Do according to thy will; merrily will I abide whatso thou +wrlt do against me; and thou shalt see that my heart is not adrad, for +hard matters have I made trial of ere now, and all things that may try +a man was I fain to bear, whiles yet I was unhurt; but now sorely am +I hurt, and thou alone henceforth will bear mastery in our dealings +together." + +Then spake a counsellor of King Atli, "Better rede I see thereto; take +we the thrall Hjalli, and give respite to Hogni; for this thrall is made +to die, since the longer he lives the less worth shall he be." + +The thrall hearkened, and cried out aloft, and fled away anywhither +where he might hope for shelter, crying out that a hard portion was his +because of their strife and wild doings, and an ill day for him whereon +he must be dragged to death from his sweet life and his swine-keeping. +But they caught him, and turned a knife against him, and he yelled and +screamed or ever he felt the point thereof. + +Then in such wise spake Hogni as a man seldom speaketh who is fallen +into hard need, for he prayed for the thrall's life, and said that these +shrieks he could not away with, and that it were a lesser matter to him +to play out the play to the end; and therewithal the thrall gat his life +as for that time: but Gunnar and Hogni are both laid in fetters. + +Then spake King Atli with Gunnar the king, and bade him tell out +concerning the gold, and where it was, if he would have his life. + +But he answered, "Nay, first will I behold the bloody heart of Hogni, my +brother." + +So now they caught hold of the thrall again, and cut the heart from out +of him, and bore it unto King Gunnar, but he said-- + +"The faint heart of Hjalli may ye here behold, little like the proud +heart of Hogni, for as much as it trembleth now, more by the half it +trembled whenas it lay in the breast of him." + +So now they fell on Hogni even as Atli urged them, and cut the heart +from out of him, but such was the might of his manhood, that he laughed +while he abode that torment, and all wondered at his worth, and in +perpetual memory is it held sithence. (1) + +Then they showed it to Gunnar, and he said-- + +"The mighty heart of Hogni, little like the faint heart of Hjalli, for +little as it trembleth now, less it trembled whenas in his breast it +lay! But now, O Atli, even as we die so shalt thou die; and lo, I alone +wot where the gold is, nor shall Hogni be to tell thereof now; to and +fro played the matter in my mind whiles we both lived, but now have I +myself determined for myself, and the Rhine river shall rule over the +gold, rather than that the Huns shall bear it on the hands of them." + +Then said King Atli, "Have away the bondsman;" and so they did. + +But Gudrun called to her men, and came to Atli, and said-- + +"May it fare ill with thee now and from henceforth, even as thou hast +ill held to thy word with me!" + +So Gunnar was cast into a worm-close, and many worms abode him there, +and his hands were fast bound; but Gudrun sent him a harp, and in such +wise did he set forth his craft, that wisely he smote the harp, smiting +it with his toes, and so excellently well he played, that few deemed +they had heard such playing, even when the hand had done it. And with +such might and power he played, that all worms fell asleep in the end, +save one adder only, great and evil of aspect, that crept unto him and +thrust its sting into him until it smote his heart; and in such wise +with great hardihood he ended his life days. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Since ("sidh", after, and "dham", that.). + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk. + +Now thought Atli the King that he had gained a mighty victory, and spake +to Gudrun even as mocking her greatly, or as making himself great before +her. "Gudrun," saith he, "thus hast thou lost thy brethren, and thy very +self hast brought it about." + +She answers, "In good liking livest thou, whereas thou thrustest these +slayings before me, but mayhappen thou wilt rue it, when thou hast tried +what is to come hereafter; and of all I have, the longest-lived matter +shall be the memory of thy cruel heart, nor shall it go well with thee +whiles I live." + +He answered and said, "Let there be peace betwixt us; I will atone for +thy brethren with gold and dear-bought things, even as thy heart may +wish." + +She answers, "Hard for a long while have I been in our dealings +together, and now I say, that while Hogni was yet alive thou mightest +have brought it to pass; but now mayest thou never atone for my brethren +in my heart; yet oft must we women be overborne by the might of you men; +and now are all my kindred dead and gone, and thou alone art left to +rule over me: wherefore now this is my counsel that we make a great +feast, wherein I will hold the funeral of my brother and of thy kindred +withal." + +In such wise did she make herself soft and kind in words, though far +other things forsooth lay thereunder, but he hearkened to her gladly, +and trusted in her words, whereas she made herself sweet of speech. + +So Gudrun held the funeral feast for her brethren, and King Atli for his +men, and exceeding proud and great was this feast. + +But Gudrun forgat not her woe, but brooded over it, how she might work +some mighty shame against the king; and at nightfall she took to her the +sons of King Atli and her as they played about the floor; the younglings +waxed heavy of cheer, and asked what she would with them. + +"Ask me not," she said; "ye shall die, the twain of you!" + +Then they answered, "Thou mayest do with thy children even as thou wilt, +nor shall any hinder thee, but shame there is to thee in the doing of +this deed." + +Yet for all that she cut the throats of them. + +Then the king asked where his sons were, and Gudrun answered, "I will +tell thee, and gladden thine heart by the telling; lo now, thou didst +make a great woe spring up for me in the slaying of my brethren; now +hearken and hear my rede and my deed; thou hast lost thy sons, and +their heads are become beakers on the board here, and thou thyself hast +drunken the blood of them blended with wine; and their hearts I took and +roasted them on a spit, and thou hast eaten thereof." + +King Atli answered, "Grim art thou in that thou hast murdered thy sons, +and given me their flesh to eat, and little space passes betwixt ill +deed of thine and ill deed." + +Gudrun said, "My heart is set on the doing to thee of as great shame as +may be; never shall the measure of ill be full to such a king as thou +art." + +The king said, "Worser deeds hast thou done than men have to tell of, +and great unwisdom is there in such fearful redes; most meet art thou +to be burned on bale when thou hast first been smitten to death with +stones, for in such wise wouldst thou have what thou hast gone a weary +way to seek." + +She answered, "Thine own death thou foretellest, but another death is +fated for me." + +And many other words they spake in their wrath. + +Now Hogni had a son left alive, hight Niblung, and great wrath of heart +he bare against King Atli; and he did Gudrun to wit that he would +avenge his father. And she took his words well, and they fell to counsel +together thereover, and she said it would be great goodhap if it might +be brought about. + +So on a night, when the king had drunken, he gat him to bed, and when he +was laid asleep, thither to him came Gudrun and the son of Hogni. + +Gudrun took a sword and thrust it through the breast of King Atli, and +they both of them set their hands to the deed, both she and the son of +Hogni. + +Then Atli the king awoke with the wound, and cried out; "no need of +binding or salving here!--who art thou who hast done the deed?" + +Gudrun says, "Somewhat have I, Gudrun, wrought therein, and somewhat +withal the son of Hogni." + +Atli said, "Ill it beseemed to thee to do this, though somewhat of wrong +was between us; for thou wert wedded to me by the rede of thy kin, and +dower paid I for thee; yea, thirty goodly knights, and seemly maidens, +and many men besides; and yet wert thou not content, but if thou should +rule over the lands King Budli owned: and thy mother-in-law full oft +thou lettest sit a-weeping." + +Gudrun said, "Many false words hast thou spoken, and of naught I account +them; oft, indeed, was I fell of mood, but much didst thou add thereto. +Full oft in this thy house did frays befall, and kin fought kin, and +friend fought friend, and made themselves big one against the other; +better days had I whenas I abode with Sigurd, when we slew kings, and +took their wealth to us, but gave peace to whomso would, and the great +men laid themselves under our hands, and might we gave to him of them +who would have it; then I lost him, and a little thing was it that I +should bear a widow's name, but the greatest of griefs that I should +come to thee--I who had aforetime the noblest of all kings, while for +thee, thou never barest out of the battle aught but the worser lot." + +King Atli answered, "Naught true are thy words, nor will this our speech +better the lot of either of us, for all is fallen now to naught; but now +do to me in seemly wise, and array my dead corpse in noble fashion." + +"Yea, that will I," she says, "and let make for thee a goodly grave, and +build for thee a worthy abiding place of stone, and wrap thee in fair +linen, and care for all that needful is." + +So therewithal he died, and she did according to her word: and then they +cast fire into the hall. + +And when the folk and men of estate awoke amid that dread and trouble, +naught would they abide the fire, but smote each the other down, and +died in such wise; so there Atli the king, and all his folk, ended their +life-days. But Gudrun had no will to live longer after this deed so +wrought, but nevertheless her ending day was not yet come upon her. + +Now the Volsungs and the Giukings, as folk tell in tale, have been the +greatest-hearted and the mightiest of all men, as ye may well behold +written in the songs of old time. + +But now with the tidings just told were these troubles stayed. + + + +CHAPTER XL. How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore +again. + +Gudrun had a daughter by Sigurd hight Swanhild; she was the fairest of +all women, eager-eyed as her father, so that few durst look under the +brows of her; and as far did she excel other woman-kind as the sun +excels the other lights of heaven. + +But on a day went Gudrun down to the sea, and caught up stones in her +arms, and went out into the sea, for she had will to end her life. But +mighty billows drave her forth along the sea, and by means of their +upholding was she borne along till she came at the last to the burg of +King Jonakr, a mighty king, and lord of many folk. And he took Gudrun to +wife, and their children were Hamdir, and Sorli, and Erp; and there was +Swanhild nourished withal. + + + +CHAPTER XLI. Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild. + +Jormunrek was the name of a mighty king of those days, and his son was +called Randver. Now this king called his son to talk with him, and said, +"Thou shalt fare on an errand of mine to King Jonakr, with my counsellor +Bikki, for with King Jonakr is nourished Swanhild, the daughter of +Sigurd Fafnir's-bane; and I know for sure that she is the fairest may +dwelling under the sun of this world; her above all others would I have +to my wife, and thou shalt go woo her for me." + +Randver answered, "Meet and right, fair lord, that I should go on thine +errands." + +So the king set forth this journey in seemly wise, and they fare till +they come to King Jonakr's abode, and behold Swanhild, and have many +thoughts concerning the treasure of her goodliness. + +But on a day Randver called the king to talk with him, and said, +"Jormunrek the King would fain be thy brother-in-law, for he has heard +tell of Swanhild, and his desire it is to have her to wife, nor may it +be shown that she may be given to any mightier man than he is one." + +The King says, "This is an alliance of great honour, for a man of fame +he is." + +Gudrun says, "A wavering trust, the trust in luck that it change not!" + +Yet because of the king's furthering, and all the matters that went +herewith, is the wooing accomplished; and Swanhild went to the ship with +a goodly company, and sat in the stern beside the king's son. + +Then spake Bikki to Randver, "How good and right it were if thou thyself +had to wife so lovely a woman rather than the old man there." + +Good seemed that word to the heart of the king's son, and he spake to +her with sweet words, and she to him in like wise. + +So they came aland and go unto the king, and Bikki said unto him, "Meet +and right it is, lord, that thou shouldst know what is befallen, though +hard it be to tell of, for the tale must be concerning thy beguiling, +whereas thy son has gotten to him the full love of Swanhild, nor is she +other than his harlot; but thou, let not the deed be unavenged." + +Now many an ill rede had he given the king or this, but of all his ill +redes did this sting home the most; and still would the king hearken +to all his evil redes; wherefore he, who might nowise still the wrath +within him, cried out that Randver should be taken and tied up to the +gallows-tree. + +And as he was led to the gallows he took his hawk and plucked the +feathers from off it, and bade show it to his father; and when the king +saw it, then he said, "Now may folk behold that he deemeth my honour to +be gone away from me, even as the feathers of this hawk;" and therewith +he bade deliver him from the gallows. + +But in that while had Bikki wrought his will, and Randver was +dead-slain. + +And, moreover, Bikki spake, "Against none hast thou more wrongs to +avenge thee of than against Swanhild; let her die a shameful death." + +"Yea," said the king, "we will do after thy counsel." + +So she was bound in the gate of the burg, and horses were driven at her +to tread her down; but when she opened her eyes wide, then the horses +durst not trample her; so when Bikki beheld that, he bade draw a bag +over the head of her; and they did so, and therewith she lost her life. +(1) + + + ENDNOTES + (1) In the prose Edda the slaying of Swanhild is a spontaneous + and sudden act on the part of the king. As he came back + from hunting one day, there sat Swanhild washing her linen, + and it came into the king's mind how that she was the cause + of all his woe, so he and his men rode over her and slew + her.--Tr. + + + +CHAPTER XLII. Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild. + +Now Gudrun heard of the slaying of Swanhild, and spake to her sons, "Why +sit ye here in peace amid merry words, whereas Jormunrek hath slain your +sister, and trodden her under foot of horses in shameful wise? No heart +ye have in you like to Gunnar or Hogni; verily they would have avenged +their kinswoman!" + +Hamdir answered, "Little didst thou praise Gunnar and Hogni, whereas +they slew Sigurd, and thou wert reddened in the blood of him, and ill +were thy brethren avenged by the slaying of thine own sons: yet not +so ill a deed were it for us to slay King Jormunrek, and so hard thou +pushest us on to this that we may naught abide thy hard words." + +Gudrun went about laughing now, and gave them to drink from mighty +beakers, and thereafter she got for them great byrnies and good, and all +other weed (1) of war. + +Then spake Hamdir, "Lo now, this is our last parting, for thou shalt +hear tidings of us, and drink one grave-ale (2) over us and over +Swanhild." + +So therewith they went their ways. + +But Gudrun went unto her bower, with heart swollen with sorrow, and +spake-- + +"To three men was I wedded, and first to Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and he +was bewrayed and slain, and of all griefs was that the greatest grief. +Then was I given to King Atli, and so fell was my heart toward him that +I slew in the fury of my grief his children and mine. Then gave I myself +to the sea, but the billows thereof cast me out aland, and to this king +then was I given; then gave I Swanhild away out of the land with mighty +wealth; and lo, my next greatest sorrow after Sigurd, for under horses' +feet was she trodden and slain; but the grimmest and ugliest of woes +was the casting of Gunnar into the Worm-close, and the hardest was the +cutting of Hogni's heart from him. + +"Ah, better would it be if Sigurd came to meet me, and I went my ways +with him, for here bideth now behind with me neither son nor daughter +to comfort me. Oh, mindest thou not, Sigurd, the words we spoke when we +went into one bed together, that thou wouldst come and look on me; yea, +even from thine abiding place among the dead?" + +And thus had the words of her sorrow an end. + + + ENDNOTE: + (1) Weed (A.S. "weodo"), clothing. + (2) Grave-ale, burial-feast. + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. The Latter End of all the Kin of the Giukings. + +Now telleth the tale concerning the sons of Gudrun, that she had arrayed +their war-raiment in such wise, that no steel would bite thereon; and +she bade them play not with stones or other heavy matters, for that it +would be to their scathe if they did so. + +And now, as they went on their way, they met Erp, their brother, and +asked him in what wise he would help them. + +He answered, "Even as hand helps hand, or foot helps foot." + +But that they deemed naught at all, and slew him there and then. Then +they went their ways, nor was it long or ever Hamdir stumbled, and +thrust down his hand to steady himself, and spake therewith-- + +"Naught but a true thing spake Erp, for now should I have fallen, had +not hand been to steady me." + +A little after Sorli stumbled, but turned about on his feet, and +so stood, and spake-- + +"Yea now had I fallen, but that I steadied myself with both feet." + +And they said they had done evilly with Erp their brother. + +But on they fare till they come to the abode of King Jormunrek, and they +went up to him and set on him forthwith, and Hamdir cut both hands from +him and Sorli both feet. Then spake Hamdir-- + +"Off were the head if Erp were alive; our brother, whom we slew on the +way, and found out our deed too late." Even as the Song says,-- + + "Off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold, + Whom we slew by the way, + The well-famed in warfare." + +Now in this must they turn away from the words of their mother, whereas +they had to deal with stones. For now men fell on them, and they +defended themselves in good and manly wise, and were the scathe of many +a man, nor would iron bite on them. + +But there came thereto a certain man, old of aspect and one-eyed, (1) +and he spake-- + +"No wise men are ye, whereas ye cannot bring these men to their end." + +Then the king said, "Give us rede thereto, if thou canst." + +He said, "Smite them to the death with stones." + +In such wise was it done, for the stones flew thick and fast from every +side, and that was the end of their life-days. + +And now has come to an end the whole root and stem of the Giukings. (2) + + NOW MAY ALL EARLS + BE BETTERED IN MIND, + MAY THE GRIEF OF ALL MAIDENS + EVER BE MINISHED, + FOR THIS TALE OF TROUBLE + SO TOLD TO ITS ENDING. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin; he ends the tale as he began it. + (2) "And now," etc., inserted by translators from the Poetic + Edda, the stanza at the end from the Whetting of Gudrun. + + + +APPENDIX: EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA. + + + + +PART OF THE SECOND LAY OF HELGI HUNDINGS-BANE (1) + +Helgi wedded Sigrun, and they begate sons together, but Helgi lived not +to be old; for Dag, (2) the son of Hogni, sacrificed to Odin, praying +that he might avenge his father. So Odin lent Dag his spear, and Dag met +Helgi, his brother-in-law, at a place called Fetter-grove, and thrust +him through with that spear, and there fell Helgi dead; but Dag rode to +Sevafell, and told Sigrun of the news. + + DAG: + Loth am I, sister + Of sorrow to tell thee, + For by hard need driven + Have I drawn on the greeting; + This morning fell + In Fetter-grove + The king well deemed + The best in the wide world, + Yea, he who stood + On the necks of the strong." + + SIGRUN: + All oaths once sworn + Shall bite thee sore, + The oaths that to Helgi + Once thou swarest + At the bright white + Water of Lightening, (3) + And at the cold rock + That the sea runneth over. + + May the ship sweep not on + That should sweep at its swiftest, + Though the wind desired + Behind thee driveth! + May the horse never run + That should run at his most might + When from thy foe's face + Thou hast most need to flee! + + May the sword never bite + That thou drawest from scabbard + But and if round thine head + In wrath it singeth! + + Then should meet price be paid + For Helgi's slaying + When a wolf thou wert + Out in the wild-wood, + Empty of good things + Empty of gladness, + With no meat for thy mouth + But dead men's corpses! + + DAG: + With mad words thou ravest, + Thy wits are gone from thee, + When thou for thy brother + Such ill fate biddest; + Odin alone + Let all this bale loose, + Casting the strife-runes + 'Twixt friends and kindred. + + Rings of red gold + Will thy brother give thee, + And the stead of Vandil + And the lands of Vigdale; + Have half of the land + For thy sorrow's healing, + O ring-arrayed sweetling + For thee and thy sons! + + SIGRUN: + No more sit I happy + At Sevafell; + At day-dawn, at night + Naught love I my life + Till broad o'er the people + My lord's light breaketh; + Till his war-horse runneth + Beneath him hither, + Well wont to the gold bit-- + Till my king I welcome. + + In such wise did Helgi + Deal fear around + To all his foes + And all their friends + As when the goat runneth + Before the wolf's rage + Filled with mad fear + Down from the fell. + + As high above all lords + Did Helgi beat him + As the ash-tree's glory + From the thorn ariseth, + Or as the fawn + With the dew-fell sprinkled + Is far above + All other wild things, + As his horns go gleaming + 'Gainst the very heavens. + +A barrow was raised above Helgi, but when he came in Valhall, then Odin +bade him be lord of all things there, even as he; so Helgi sang-- + + HELGI: + Now shalt thou, Hunding + For the help of each man + Get ready the foot-bath, + And kindle the fire; + The hounds shalt thou bind + And give heed to the horses, + Give wash to the swine + Ere to sleep thou goest. + +A bondmaid of Sigrun went in the evening-tide by Helgi's mound, and +there saw how Helgi rode toward it with a great company; then she sang-- + + BONDMAID: + It is vain things' beguilling + That methinks I behold, + Or the ending of all things, + As ye ride, O ye dead men, + Smiting with spurs + Your horses' sides? + Or may dead warriors + Wend their ways homeward? + + THE DEAD: + No vain things' beguiling + Is that thou beholdest, + Nor the ruin of all things; + Though thou lookest upon us, + Though we smite with spurs + Our horses' sides; + Rather dead warriors + May wend their ways homeward. + +Then went the bondmaid home, and told Sigrun, and sang-- + + BONDMAID: + Go out, Sigrun + From Sevafell, + If thou listest to look on + The lord of thy people! + For the mound is uncovered + Thither is Helgi come, + And his wounds are bleeding, + But the king thee biddeth + To come and stay + That stream of sorrow. + +So Sigrun went into the mound to Helgi, and sang-- + + SIGRUN: + Now am I as fain + Of this fair meeting, + As are the hungry + Hawks of Odin, + When they wot of the slaying + Of the yet warm quarry, + Or bright with dew + See the day a-dawning. + + Ah, I will kiss + My king laid lifeless, + Ere thou castest by + Thy blood-stained byrny. + O Helgi, thy hair + Is thick with death's rime, + With the dew of the dead + Is my love all dripping; + Dead-cold are the hands + Of the son of Hogni; + How for thee, O my king, + May I win healing? + + HELGI: + Thou alone, Sigrun + Of Sevafell, + Hast so done that Helgi + With grief's dew drippeth; + O clad in gold + Cruel tears thou weepest, + Bright May of the Southlands, + Or ever thou sleepest; + Each tear in blood falleth + On the breast of thy lord, + Cold wet and bitter-sharp + Swollen with sorrow. + + Ah, we shall drink + Dear draughts and lovely, + Though, we have lost + Both life and lands; + Neither shall any + Sing song of sorrow, + Though in my breast + Be wounds wide to behold: + For now are brides + In the mound abiding; + Kings' daughters sit + By us departed. + +Bow Sigrun arrayed a bed in the mound, and sang-- + + SIGRUN: + Here, Helgi, for thee + A bed have I dight, + Kind without woe, + O kin of the Ylfings! + To thy bosom, O king, + Will I come and sleep soft, + As I was wont + When my lord was living. + + HELGI: + Now will I call + Naught not to be hoped for + Early or late + At Sevafell, + When thou in the arms + Of a dead man art laid, + White maiden of Hogni, + Here in the mound: + And thou yet quick, + O King's daughter! + + Now needs must I ride + On the reddening ways; + My pale horse must tread + The highway aloft; + West must I go + To Windhelm's bridge + Ere the war-winning crowd + Hall-crower (4) waketh. + +So Helgi rode his ways: and the others gat them gone home to the house. +But the next night Sigrun bade the bondwoman have heed of the mound. So +at nightfall, thenas Sigrun came to the mound, she sang: + + SIGRUN: + Here now would he come, + If to come he were minded; + Sigmund's offspring + From the halls of Odin. + O me the hope waneth + Of Helgi's coming; + For high on the ash-boughs + Are the ernes abiding, + And all folk drift + Toward the Thing of the dreamland. + + BONDMAID: + Be not foolish of heart, + And fare all alone + To the house of the dead, + O Hero's daughter! + For more strong and dreadful + In the night season + Are all dead warriors + Than in the daylight. + +But a little while lived Sigrun, because of her sorrow and trouble. +But in old time folk trowed that men should be born again, though their +troth be now deemed but an old wife's dotting. And so, as folk say, +Helgi and Sigrun were born again, and at that tide was he called Helgi +the Scathe of Hadding, and she Kara the daughter of Halfdan; and she was +a Valkyrie, even as is said in the Lay of Kara. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Only that part of the song is given which completes the + episodes of Helgi Hunding's-bane; the earlier part of the + song differs little from the Saga. + (2) Hogni, the father of Dar and Sigrun, had been slain by Helgi + in battle, and Helgi had given peace to, and taken oaths of + Dag. + (3) One of the rivers of the under-world. + (4) Hall-crower, "Salgofnir": lit. Hall-gaper, the cock of + Valhall. + + + + +PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) + + Now this is my first counsel, + That thou with thy kin + Be guiltless, guileless ever, + Nor hasty of wrath, + Despite of wrong done-- + Unto the dead good that doeth. + + Lo the second counsel, + That oath thou swearest never, + But trusty oath and true: + Grim tormenting + Gripes troth-breakers; + Cursed wretch is the wolf of vows. + + This is my third rede, + That thou at the Thing + Deal not with the fools of folk; + For unwise man + From mouth lets fall + Worser word than well he wotteth. + + Yet hard it is + That holding of peace + When men shall deem thee dastard, + Or deem the lie said soothly; + But woeful is home-witness, + Unless right good thou gettest it. + Ah, on another day + Drive the life from out him, + And pay the liar back for his lying. + + Now behold the fourth rede: + If ill witch thee bideth, + Woe-begatting by the way, + Good going further + Rather than guesting, + Though thick night be on thee. + + Far-seeing eyes + Need all sons of men + Who wend in wrath to war; + For baleful women + Bide oft by the highway, + Swords and hearts to soften. + + And now the fifth rede: + As fair as thou seest + Brides on the bench abiding, + Let not love's silver + Rule over thy sleeping; + Draw no woman to kind kissing! + + For the sixth thing, I rede + When men sit a-drinking + Amid ale-words and ill-words, + Dead thou naught + With the drunken fight-staves + For wine stealeth wit from many. + + Brawling and drink + Have brought unto men + Sorrow sore oft enow; + Yea, bane unto some, + And to some weary bale; + Many are the griefs of mankind. + + For the seventh, I rede thee, + If strife thou raisest + With a man right high of heart, + Better fight a-field + Than burn in the fire + Within thine hall fair to behold. + + The eighth rede that I give thee: + Unto all ill look thou, + And hold thine heart from all beguiling; + Draw to thee no maiden, + No man's wife bewray thou, + Urge them not unto unmeet pleasure. + + This is the ninth counsel: + That thou have heed of dead folk + Whereso thou findest them a-field; + Be they sick-dead, + Be they sea-dead, + Or come to ending by war-weapons. + + Let bath be made + For such men fordone, + Wash thou hands and feet thereof, + Comb their hair and dry them + Ere the coffin has them; + Then bid them sleep full sweetly. + + This for the tenth counsel: + That thou give trust never + Unto oaths of foeman's kin, + Be'st thou bane of his brother, + Or hast thou felled his father; + Wolf in young son waxes, + Though he with gold be gladdened. + + For wrong and hatred + Shall rest them never, + Nay, nor sore sorrow. + Both wit and weapons + Well must the king have + Who is fain to be the foremost. + + The last rede and eleventh: + Until all ill look thou. + And watch thy friends' ways ever + Scarce durst I look + For long life for thee, king: + Strong trouble ariseth now already. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This continues the first part of the lay given in Chapter XX + of the Saga; and is, in fact, the original verse of Chapter + XXI. + + + + +THE LAY CALLED THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD. + + Sigurd of yore, + Sought the dwelling of Giuki, + As he fared, the young Volsung, + After fight won; + Troth he took + From the two brethren; + Oath swore they betwixt them, + Those bold ones of deed. + + A may they gave to him + And wealth manifold, + Gudrun the young, + Giuki's daughter: + They drank and gave doom + Many days together, + Sigurd the young, + And the sons of Giuki. + + Until they wended + For Brynhild's wooing, + Sigurd a-riding + Amidst their rout; + The wise young Volsung + Who knew of all ways-- + Ah! He had wed her, + Had fate so willed it. + + Southlander Sigurd + A naked sword, + Bright, well grinded, + Laid betwixt them; + No kiss he won + From the fair woman, + Nor in arms of his + Did the Hun King hold her, + Since he gat the young maid + For the son of Giuki. + + No lack in her life + She wotted of now, + And at her death-day + No dreadful thing + For a shame indeed + Or a shame in seeming; + But about and betwixt + Went baleful fate. + + Alone, abroad, + She sat of an evening, + Of full many things + She fall a-talking: + "O for my Sigurd! + I shall have death, + Or my fair, my lovely, + Laid in mine arms. + + "For the word once spoken, + I sorrow sorely-- + His queen is Gudrun, + I am wed to Gunnar; + The dread Norns wrought for us + A long while of woe." + + Oft with heart deep + In dreadful thoughts, + O'er ice-fields and ice-hills + She fared a-night time, + When he and Gudrun + Were gone to their fair bed, + And Sigurd wrapped + The bed-gear round her. + + "Ah! Now the Hun King + His queen in arms holdeth, + While love I go lacking, + And all things longed for + With no delight + But in dreadful thought." + + These dreadful things + Thrust her toward murder: + --"Listen, Gunnar, + For thou shalt lose + My wide lands, + Yea, me myself! + Never love I my life, + With thee for my lord-- + + "I will fare back thither + From whence I came, + To my nighest kin + And those that know me + There shall I sit + Sleeping my life away, + Unless thou slayest + Sigurd the Hun King, + Making thy might more + E'en than his might was! + + "Yea, let the son fare + After the father, + And no young wolf + A long while nourish! + For on earth man lieth + Vengeance lighter, + And peace shall be surer + If the son live not." + + Adrad was Gunnar, + Heavy-hearted was he, + And in doubtful mood + Day-long he sat. + For naught he wotted, + Nor might see clearly + What was the seemliest + Of deeds to set hand to; + What of all deeds + Was best to be done: + For he minded the vows + Sworn to the Volsung, + And the sore wrong + To be wrought against Sigurd. + + Wavered his mind + A weary while, + No wont it was + Of those days worn by, + That queens should flee + From the realms of their kings. + + "Brynhild to me + Is better than all, + The child of Budli + Is the best of women. + Yea, and my life + Will I lay down, + Ere I am twinned + From that woman's treasure." + + He bade call Hogni + To the place where he bided; + With all the trust that might be, + Trowed he in him. + + "Wilt thou bewray Sigurd + For his wealth's sake? + Good it is to rule + O'er the Rhine's metal; + And well content + Great wealth to wield, + Biding in peace + And blissful days." + + One thing alone Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Such doings for us + Are naught seemly to do; + To rend with sword + Oaths once sworn, + Oaths once sworn, + And troth once plighted. + + "Nor know we on mould, + Men of happier days, + The while we four + Rule over the folk; + While the bold in battle, + The Hun King, bides living. + + "And no nobler kin + Shall be known afield, + If our five sons + We long may foster; + Yea, a goodly stem + Shall surely wax. + --But I clearly see + In what wise it standeth, + Brynhild's sore urging + O'ermuch on thee beareth. + + "Guttorm shall we + Get for the slaying, + Our younger brother + Bare of wisdom; + For he was out of + All the oaths sworn, + All the oaths sworn, + And the plighted troth." + + Easy to rouse him + Who of naught recketh! + --Deep stood the sword + In the heart of Sigurd. + + There, in the hall, + Gat the high-hearted vengeance; + For he can his sword + At the reckless slayer: + Out at Guttorm + Flew Gram the mighty, + The gleaming steel + From Sigurd's hand. + + Down fell the slayer + Smitten asunder; + The heavy head + And the hands fell one way, + But the feet and such like + Aback where they stood. + + Gudrun was sleeping + Soft in the bed, + Empty of sorrow + By the side of Sigurd: + When she awoke + With all pleasure gone, + Swimming in blood + Of Frey's beloved. + + So sore her hands + She smote together, + That the great-hearted + Gat raised in bed; + --"O Gudrun, weep not + So woefully, + Sweet lovely bride, + For thy brethren live for thee! + + "A young child have I + For heritor; + Too young to win forth + From the house of his foes.-- + Black deeds and ill + Have they been a-doing, + Evil rede + Have they wrought at last. + + "Late, late, rideth with them + Unto the Thing, + Such sister's son, + Though seven thou bear,-- + --But well I wot + Which way all goeth; + Alone wrought Brynhild + This bale against us. + + "That maiden loved me + Far before all men, + Yet wrong to Gunnar + I never wrought; + Brotherhood I heeded + And all bounden oaths, + That none should deem me + His queen's darling." + + Weary sighed Gudrun, + As the king gat ending, + And so sore her hands + She smote together, + That the cups arow + Rang out therewith, + And the geese cried on high + That were in the homefield. + + Then laughed Brynhild + Budli's daughter, + Once, once only, + From out her heart; + When to her bed + Was borne the sound + Of the sore greeting + Of Giuki's daughter. + + Then, quoth Gunnar, + The king, the hawk-bearer, + "Whereas, thou laughest, + O hateful woman, + Glad on thy bed, + No good it betokeneth: + Why lackest thou else + Thy lovely hue? + Feeder of foul deeds, + Fey do I deem thee, + + "Well worthy art thou + Before all women, + That thine eyes should see + Atli slain of us; + That thy brother's wounds + Thou shouldest see a-bleeding, + That his bloody hurts + Thine hands should bind." + + "No man blameth thee, Gunnar, + Thou hast fulfilled death's measure + But naught Atli feareth + All thine ill will; + Life shall he lay down + Later than ye, + And still bear more might + Aloft than thy might. + + "I shall tell thee, Gunnar, + Though well the tale thou knowest, + In what early days + Ye dealt abroad your wrong: + Young was I then, + Worn with no woe, + Good wealth I had + In the house of my brother! + + "No mind had I + That a man should have me, + Or ever ye Giukings, + Rode into our garth; + There ye sat on your steeds + Three kings of the people-- + --Ah! That that faring + Had never befallen! + + "Then spake Atli + To me apart, + And said that no wealth + He would give unto me, + Neither gold nor lands + If I would not be wedded; + Nay, and no part + Of the wealth apportioned, + Which in my first days + He gave me duly; + Which in my first days + He counted down. + + "Wavered the mind + Within me then, + If to fight I should fall + And the felling of folk, + Bold in Byrny + Because of my brother; + A deed of fame + Had that been to all folk, + But to many a man + Sorrow of mind. + + "So I let all sink + Into peace at the last: + More grew I minded + For the mighty treasure, + The red-shining rings + Of Sigmund's son; + For no man's wealth else + Would I take unto me. + + "For myself had I given + To that great king + Who sat amid gold + On the back of Grani; + Nought were his eyes + Like to your eyen, + Nor in any wise + Went his visage with yours; + Though ye might deem you + Due kings of men. + + "One I loved, + One, and none other, + The gold-decked may + Had no doubtful mind; + Thereof shall Atli + Wot full surely, + When he getteth to know + I am gone to the dead. + + "Far be it from me, + Feeble and wavering, + Ever to love + Another's love-- + --Yes shall my woe + Be well avenged." + + Up rose Gunnar, + The great men's leader, + And cast his arms + About the queen's neck; + And all went nigh + One after other, + With their whole hearts + Her heart to turn. + + But then all these + From her neck she thrust, + Of her long journey + No man should let her. + + Then called he Hogni + To have talk with him; + "Let all folk go + Forth into the hall, + Thine with mine-- + --O need sore and mighty!-- + To wot if we yet + My wife's parting may stay. + Till with time's wearing + Some hindrance wax." + + One answer Hogni + Had for all; + "Nay, let hard need + Have rule thereover, + And no man let her + Of her long journey! + Never born again, + May she come back thence! + + "Luckless she came + To the lap of her mother, + Born into the world + For utter woe, + TO many a man + For heart-whole mourning." + + Upraised he turned + From the talk and the trouble, + To where the gem-field + Dealt out goodly treasure; + As she looked and beheld + All the wealth that she had, + And the hungry bondmaids, + And maids of the hall. + + With no good in her heart + She donned her gold byrny, + Ere she thrust the sword point + Through the midst of her body: + On the boister's far side + Sank she adown, + And, smitten with sword, + Still bethought her of redes. + + "Let all come forth + Who are fain the red gold, + Or things less worthy + To win from my hands; + To each one I give + A necklace gilt over, + Wrought hangings and bed=gear, + And bright woven weed." + + All they kept silence, + And thought what to speak, + Then all at once + Answer gave: + "Full enow are death-doomed, + Fain are we to live yet, + Maids of the hall + All meet work winning." + + "From her wise heart at last + The linen-clad damsel, + The one of few years + Gave forth the word: + "I will that none driven + By hand or by word, + For our sake should lose + Well-loved life. + + "Thou on the bones of you + Surely shall burn, + Less dear treasure + At your departing + Nor with Menia's Meal (1) + Shall ye come to see me." + + "Sit thee down, Gunnar, + A word must I say to thee + Of the life's ruin + Of thy lightsome bride-- + --Nor shall thy ship + Swim soft and sweetly + For all that I + Lay life adown. + + "Sooner than ye might deem + Shall ye make peace with Gudrun, + For the wise woman + Shall full in the young wife + The hard memory + Of her dead husband. + + "There is a may born + Reared by her mother, + Whiter and brighter + Than is the bright day; + She shall be Swanhild, + She shall be Sunbeam. + + "Thou shalt give Gudrun + Unto a great one, + Noble, well-praised + Of the world's folk; + Not with her goodwill, + Or love shalt thou give her; + Yet will Atli + Come to win her, + My very brother, + Born of Budli. + + --"Ah! Many a memory + Of how ye dealt with me, + How sorely, how evilly + Ye ever beguiled me, + How all pleasure left me + The while my life lasted--! + + "Fain wilt thou be + Oddrun to win, + But thy good liking + Shall Atli let; + But in secret wise + Shall ye win together, + And she shall love thee + As I had loved thee, + If in such wise + Fare had willed it. + + "But with all ill + Shall Atli sting thee, + Into the strait worm-close + Shall he cast thee. + + "But no long space + Shall slip away + Ere Atli too + All life shall lose, + Yea, all his weal + With the life of his sons, + For a dreadful bed + Dights Gudrun for him, + From a heart sore laden, + With the sword's sharp edge. + + "More seemly for Gudrun, + Your very sister, + In death to wend after + Her love first wed; + Had but good rede + To her been given, + Or if her heart + Had been like to my heart. + + --"Faint my speech groweth-- + But for our sake + Ne'er shall she lose + Her life beloved; + The sea shall have her, + High billows bear her + Forth unto Jonakr's + Fair land of his fathers. + + "There shall she bear sons, + Stays of a heritage, + Stays of a heritage, + Jonakr's sons; + And Swanhild shall she + Send from the land, + That may born of her, + The may born of Sigurd. + + "Her shall bite + The rede of Bikki, + Whereas for no good + Wins Jormunrek life; + And so is clean perished + All the kin of Sigurd, + Yea, and more greeting, + And more for Gudrun. + + "And now one prayer + Yet pray I of thee-- + That last word of mine + Here in the world-- + So broad on the field + Be the burg of the dead + That fair space may be left + For us all to lie down, + All those that died + At Sigurd's death! + + "Hang round that burg + Fair hangings and shields, + Web by Gauls woven, + And folk of the Gauls: + There burn the Hun King + Lying beside me. + + "But on the other side + Burn by the Hun King + Those who served me + Strewn with treasure; + Two at the head, + And two at the feet, + Two hounds therewith, + And two hawks moreover: + Then is all dealt + With even dealing. + + "Lay there amidst us + The right-dight metal, + The sharp-edged steel, + That so lay erst; + When we both together + Into one bed went, + And were called by the name + Of man and wife. + + "Never, then, belike + Shall clash behind him + Valhall's bright door + With rings bedight: + And if my fellowship + Followeth after, + In no wretched wise + Then shall we wend. + + "For him shall follow + My five bondmaids, + My eight bondsmen, + No borel folk: + Yea, and my fosterer, + And my father's dower + That Budli of old days + Gave to his dear child. + + "Much have I spoken, + More would I speak, + If the sword would give me + Space for speech; + But my words are waning, + My wounds are swelling-- + Naught but truth have I told-- + --And now make I ending." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Menia's Maid"--periphrasis for gold. + + + + +THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD. + +After the death of Brynhild were made two bales, one for Sigurd, and +that was first burned; but Brynhild was burned on the other, and she was +in a chariot hung about with goodly hangings. + +And so folk say that Brynhild drave in her chariot down along the way +to Hell, and passed by an abode where dwelt a certain giantess, and the +giantess spake:-- + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Nay, with my goodwill + Never goest thou + Through this stone-pillared + Stead of mine! + More seemly for thee + To sit sewing the cloth, + Than to go look on + The love of another. + + "What dost thou, going + From the land of the Gauls, + O restless head, + To this mine house? + Golden girl, hast thou not, + If thou listest to hearken, + In sweet wise from thy hands + The blood of men washen?" + + BRYNHILD + "Nay, blame me naught, + Bride of the rock-hall, + Though I roved a warring + In the days that were; + The higher of us twain + Shall I ever be holden + When of our kind + Men make account." + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Thou, O Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Wert the worst ever born + Into the world; + For Giuki's children + Death hast thou gotten, + And turned to destruction + Their goodly dwelling." + + BRYNHILD + "I shall tell thee + True tale from my chariot, + O thou who naught wottest, + If thou listest to wot; + How for me they have gotten + Those heirs of Giuki, + A loveless life, + A life of lies. + + "Hild under helm, + The Hlymdale people, + E'en those who knew me, + Ever would call me. + + "The changeful shapes + Of us eight sisters, + The wise king bade + Under oak-tree to bear; + Of twelve winters was I, + If thou listest to wot, + When I sware to the young lord + Oaths of love. + + "Thereafter gat I + Mid the folk of the Goths, + For Helmgunnar the old, + Swift journey to Hell, + And gave to Aud's brother + The young, gain and glory; + Whereof overwrath + Waxed Odin with me. + + "So he shut me in shield-wall + In Skata grove, + Red shields and white + Close set around me; + And bade him alone + My slumber to break + Who in no land + Knew how to fear. + + "He set round my hall, + Toward the south quarter, + The Bane of all trees + Burning aloft; + And ruled that he only + Thereover should ride + Who should bring me the gold + O'er which Fafnir brooded. + + "Then upon Grani rode + The goodly gold-strewer + To where my fosterer + Ruled his fair dwelling. + He who alone there + Was deemed best of all, + The War-lord of the Danes, + Well worthy of men. + + "In peace did we sleep + Soft in one bed, + As though he had been + Naught but my brother: + There as we lay + Through eight nights wearing, + No hand in love + On each other we laid. + + "Yet thence blamed me, Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That I had slept + In the arms of Sigurd; + And then I wotted + As I fain had not wotted, + That they had bewrayed me + In my betrothals. + + "Ah! For unrest + All too long + Are men and women + Made alive! + Yet we twain together + Shall wear through the ages, + Sigurd and I.-- + --Sink adown, O giant-wife!" + + + + +FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF BRYNHILD + + HOGNI SAID: + "What hath wrought Sigurd + Of any wrong-doing + That the life of the famed one + Thou art fain of taking?" + + GUNNAR SAID: + "To me has Sigurd + Sworn many oaths, + Sworn many oaths, + And sworn them lying, + And he bewrayed me + When it behoved him + Of all folk to his troth + To be the most trusty." + + HOGNI SAID: + "Thee hath Brynhild + Unto all bale, + And all hate whetted, + And a work of sorrow; + For she grudges to Gudrun + All goodly life; + And to thee the bliss + Of her very body." + + .......... + + Some the wolf roasted, + Some minced the worm, + Some unto Guttorm + Gave the wolf-meat, + Or ever they might + In their lust for murder + On the high king + Lay deadly hand. + + Sigurd lay slain + On the south of the Rhine + High from the fair tree + Croaked forth the raven, + "Ah, yet shall Atli + On you redden edges, + The old oaths shall weigh + On your souls, O warriors." + + Without stood Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + And the first word she said + Was even this word: + "Where then is Sigurd, + Lord of the Warfolk, + Since my kin + Come riding the foremost? + + One word Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Our swords have smitten + Sigurd asunder, + And the grey horse hangs drooping + O'er his lord lying dead." + + Then quoth Brynhild, + Budli's daughter; + "Good weal shall ye have + Of weapons and lands, + That Sigurd alone + Would surely have ruled + If he had lived + But a little longer. + + "Ah, nothing seemly + For Sigurd to rule + Giuki's house + And the folk of the Goths, + When of him five sons + For the slaying of men, + Eager for battle, + Should have been begotten!" + + Then laughed Brynhild-- + Loud rang the whole house-- + One laugh only + From out her heart: + "Long shall your bliss be + Of lands and people, + Whereas the famed lord + You have felled to the earth!" + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter; + "Much thou speakest, + Many things fearful, + All grame be on Gunnar + The bane of Sigurd! + From a heart full of hate + Shall come heavy vengeance." + + Forth sped the even + Enow there was drunken, + Full enow was there + Of all soft speech; + And all men got sleep + When to bed they were gotten; + Gunnar only lay waking + Long after all men. + + His feet fell he to moving, + Fell to speak to himself + The waster of men, + Still turned in his mind + What on the bough + Those twain would be saying, + The raven and erne, + As they rode their ways homeward. + + But Brynhild awoke, + Budli's daughter, + May of the shield-folk, + A little ere morning: + "Thrust ye on, hold ye back, + --Now all harm is wrought,-- + To tell of my sorrow, + Or to let all slip by me?" + + All kept silence + After her speaking, + None might know + That woman's mind, + Or why she must weep + To tell of the work + That laughing once + Of men she prayed. + + BRYNHILD SPAKE: + "In dreams, O Gunnar, + Grim things fell on me; + Dead-cold the hall was, + And my bed was a-cold, + And thou, lord, wert riding + Reft of all bliss, + Laden with fetters + 'Mid the host of thy foemen." + + "So now all ye, + O House of the Niblungs, + Shall be brought to naught, + O ye oath-breakers! + + "Think'st thou not, Gunnar, + How that betid, + When ye let the blood run + Both in one footstep? + With ill reward + Hast thou rewarded + His heart so fain + To be the foremost! + + "As well was seen + When he rode his ways, + That king of all worth, + Unto my wooing; + How the host-destroyer + Held to the vows + Sworn beforetime, + Sworn to the young king. + + "For his wounding-wand + All wrought with gold, + The king beloved + Laid between us; + Without were its edges + Wrought with fire, + But with venom-drops + Deep dyed within." + +Thus this song telleth of the death of Sigurd, and setteth forth how +that they slew him without doors; but some say that they slew him within +doors, sleeping in his bed. But the Dutch Folk say that they slew him +out in the wood: and so sayeth the ancient song of Gudrun, that Sigurd +and the sons of Giuki were riding to the Thing whenas he was slain. But +all with one accord say that they bewrayed him in their troth with him, +and fell on him as he lay unarrayed and unawares. + + + + +THE SECOND OR ANCIENT LAY OF GUDRUN. + +Thiodrek the King was in Atli's house, and had lost there the more part +of his men: so there Thiodrek and Gudrun bewailed their troubles one to +the other, and she spake and said:-- + + A may of all mays + My mother reared me + Bright in bower; + Well loved I my brethren, + Until that Giuki + With gold arrayed me, + With gold arrayed me, + And gave me to Sigurd. + + Such was my Sigurd, + Among the sons of Giuki + As is the green leek + O'er the low grass waxen, + Or a hart high-limbed + Over hurrying deer, + Or glede-red gold + Over grey silver. + + Till me they begrudged, + Those my brethren, + The fate to have him, + Who was first of all men; + Nor might they sleep, + Nor sit a-dooming, + Ere they let slay + My well-loved Sigurd. + + Grani ran to the Thing, + There was clatter to hear, + But never came Sigurd + Himself thereunto; + All the saddle-girt beasts + With blood were besprinkled, + As faint with the way + Neath the slayers they went. + + Then greeting I went + With Grani to talk, + And with tear-furrowed cheeks + I bade him tell all; + But drooping laid Grani, + His head in the grass, + For the steed well wotted + Of his master's slaying. + + A long while I wandered, + Long my mind wavered, + Ere the kings I might ask + Concerning my king. + + Then Gunnar hung head, + But Hogni told + Of the cruel slaying + Of my Sigurd: + "On the water's far side + Lies, smitten to death, + The bane of Guttorm + To the wolves given over. + + "Go, look on Sigurd, + On the ways that go southward, + There shalt thou hear + The ernes high screaming, + The ravens a-croaking + As their meat they crave for; + Thou shalt hear the wolves howling + Over thine husband. + + "How hast thou, Hogni, + The heart to tell me, + Me of joy made empty, + Of such misery? + Thy wretched heart + May the ravens tear + Wide over the world, + With no men mayst thou wend." + + One thing Hogni + Had for answer, + Fallen from his high heart, + Full of all trouble: + "More greeting yet, + O Gudrun, for thee, + If my heart the ravens + Should rend asunder!" + + Thence I turned + From the talk and the trouble + To go a leasing (1) + What the wolves had left me; + No sigh I made + No smote hands together, + Nor did I wail + As other women + When I sat over + My Sigurd slain. + + Night methought it, + And the moonless dark, + When I sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Better than all things + I deemed it would be + If they would let me + Cast my life by, + Or burn me up + As they burn the birch-wood. + + From the fell I wandered + Five days together, + Until the high hall + Of Half lay before me; + Seven seasons there + I sat with Thora, + The daughter of Hacon, + Up in Denmark. + + My heart to gladden + With gold she wrought + Southland halls + And swans of the Dane-folk; + There had we painted + The chiefs a-playing; + Fair our hands wrought + Folk of the kings. + + Red shields we did, + Doughty knights of the Huns, + Hosts spear-dight, hosts helm-dight, + All a high king's fellows; + And the ships of Sigmund + From the land swift sailing; + Heads gilt over + And prows fair graven. + + On the cloth we broidered + That tide of their battling, + Siggeir and Siggar, + South in Fion. + + Then heard Grimhild, + The Queen of Gothland, + How I was abiding, + Weighed down with woe; + And she thrust the cloth from her + And called to her sons, + And oft and eagerly + Asked them thereof, + Who for her son + Would their sister atone, + Who for her lord slain + Would lay down weregild. + + Fain was Gunnar + Gold to lay down + All wrongs to atone for, + And Hogni in likewise; + Then she asked who was fain + Of faring straightly, + The steed to saddle + To set forth the wain, + The horse to back, + And the hawk to fly, + To shoot forth the arrow + From out the yew-bow. + + Valdarr the Dane-king + Came with Jarisleif + Eymod the third went + Then went Jarizskar; + In kingly wise + In they wended, + The host of the Longbeards; + Red cloaks had they, + Byrnies short-cut, + Helms strong hammered, + Girt with glaives, + And hair red-gleaming. + + Each would give me + Gifts desired, + Gifts desired, + Speech dear to my heart, + If they might yet, + Despite my sorrow, + Win back my trust, + But in them nought I trusted. + + Then brought me Grimhild + A beaker to drink of, + Cold and bitter, + Wrong's memory to quench; + Made great was that drink + With the might of the earth, + With the death-cold sea + And the blood that Son (2) holdeth. + + On that horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that mead were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood, + And brown-burnt acorns; + The black dew of the hearth, (3) + And god-doomed dead beasts' inwards + And the swine's liver sodden, + For wrongs late done that deadens. + + Then waned my memory + When that was within me, + Of my lord 'mid the hall + By the iron laid low. + Three kings came + Before my knees + Ere she herself + Fell to speech with me. + + "I will give to thee, Gudrun, + Gold to be glad with, + All the great wealth + Of thy father gone from us, + Rings of red gold + And the great hall of Lodver, + And all fair hangings left + By the king late fallen. + + "Maids of the Huns + Woven pictures to make, + And work fair in gold + Till thou deem'st thyself glad. + Alone shalt thou rule + O'er the riches of Budli, + Shalt be made great with gold, + And be given to Atli." + + "Never will I + Wend to a husband, + Or wed the brother + Of Queen Brynhild; + Naught it beseems me + With the son of Budli + Kin to bring forth, + Or to live and be merry." + + "Nay, the high chiefs + Reward not with hatred, + For take heed that I + Was the first in this tale! + To thy heart shall it be + As if both these had life, + Sigurd and Sigmund, + When thou hast borne sons." + + "Naught may I, Grimhild, + Seek after gladness, + Nor deem aught hopeful + Of any high warrior, + Since wolf and raven + Were friends together, + The greedy, the cruel, + O'er great Sigurd's heart-blood." + + "Of all men that can be + For the noblest of kin + This king have I found, + And the foremost of all; + Him shalt thou have + Till with eld thou art heavy-- + Be thou ever unwed, + If thou wilt naught of him!" + + "Nay, nay, bid me not + With thy words long abiding + To take unto me + That balefullest kin; + This king shall bid Gunnar + Be stung to his bane, + And shall cut the heart + From out of Hogni. + + "Nor shall I leave life + Ere the keen lord, + The eager in sword-play, + My hand shall make end of." + + Grimhild a-weeping + Took up the word then, + When the sore bale she wotted + Awaiting her sons, + And the bane hanging over + Her offspring beloved. + + "I will give thee, moreover, + Great lands, many men, + Wineberg and Valberg, + If thou wilt but have them; + Hold them lifelong, + And live happy, O daughter!" + + "Then him must I take + From among kingly men, + 'Gainst my heart's desire, + From the hands of my kinsfolk; + But no joy I look + To have from that lord: + Scarce may my brother's bane + Be a shield to my sons." + + Soon was each warrior + Seen on his horse, + But the Gaulish women + Into wains were gotten; + Then seven days long + O'er a cold land we rode, + And for seven other + Clove we the sea-waves. + But with the third seven + O'er dry land we wended. + + There the gate-wardens + Of the burg, high and wide, + Unlooked the barriers + Ere the burg-garth we rode to-- + + ............ + + Atli woke me + When meseemed I was + Full evil of heart + For my kin dead slain. + + "In such wise did the Norns + Wake me or now."-- + Fain was he to know + Of this ill foreshowing-- + "That methought, O Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That thou setst in my heart + A sword wrought for guile." + + "For fires tokening I deem it + That dreaming of iron, + But for pride and for lust + The wrath of fair women + Against some bale + Belike, I shall burn thee + For thy solace and healing + Though hateful thou art." + + "In the fair garth methought + Had saplings fallen + E'en such as I would + Should have waxen ever; + Uprooted were these, + And reddened with blood, + And borne to the bench, + And folk bade me eat of them. + + "Methought from my hand then + Went hawks a-flying + Lacking their meat + To the land of all ill; + Methought that their hearts + Mingled with honey, + Swollen with blood + I ate amid sorrow. + + "Lo, next two whelps + From my hands I loosened, + Joyless were both, + And both a-howling; + And now their flesh + Became naught but corpses, + Whereof must I eat + But sore against my will." + + "O'er the prey of the fishers + Will folk give doom; + From the bright white fish + The heads will they take; + Within a few nights, + Fey as they are, + A little ere day + Of that draught will they eat." + + "Ne'er since lay I down, + Ne'er since would I sleep, + Hard of heart, in my bed:-- + That deed have I to do. (4) + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "a vid lesa". "Leasing" is the word still + used for gleaning in many country sides in England. + (2) Son was the vessel into which was poured the blood of + Quasir, the God of Poetry. + (3) This means soot. + (4) The whole of this latter part is fragmentary and obscure; + there seems wanting to two of the dreams some trivial + interpretation by Gudrun, like those given by Hogni to + Kostbera in the Saga, of which nature, of course, the + interpretation contained in the last stanza but one is, as + we have rendered it: another rendering, from the different + reading of the earlier edition of "Edda" (Copenhagen, 1818) + would make this refer much more directly to the slaying of + her sons by Gudrun. + + + + +THE SONG OF ATLI. + +Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenger her brethren, as is told far and wide; +first she slew the sons of Atli, and then Atli himself; and she burned +the hall thereafter, and all the household with it: and about these +matters is this song made:-- + + In days long gone + Sent Atli to Gunnar + A crafty one riding, + Knefrud men called him; + To Giuki's garth came he, + To the hall of Gunnar, + To the benches gay-dight, + And the gladsome drinking. + + There drank the great folk + 'Mid the guileful one's silence, + Drank wine in their fair hall: + The Huns' wrath they feared + When Knefrud cried + In his cold voice, + As he sat on the high seat, + That man of the Southland: + + "Atli has sent me + Riding swift on his errands + On the bit-griping steed + Through dark woodways unbeaten, + To bid thee, King Gunnar, + Come to his fair bench + With helm well-adorned, + To the house of King Atli. + + "Shield shall ye have there + And spears ashen-shafted, + Helms ruddy with gold, + And hosts of the Huns; + Saddle-gear silver gilt, + Shirts red as blood, + The hedge of the warwife, + And horses bit-griping. + + "And he saith he will give you + Gnitaheath widespread, + And whistling spears + And prows well-gilded, + Might wealth + With the stead of Danpi, + And that noble wood + Men name the Murkwood." + + Then Gunnar turned head + And spake unto Hogni: + "What rede from thee, high one, + Since such things we hear? + No gold know I + On Gnitaheath, + That we for our parts + Have not portion as great. + + "Seven halls we have + Fulfilled of swords, + And hilts of gold + Each sword there has; + My horse is the best, + My blade is the keenest; + Fair my bow o'er the bench is, + Gleams my byrny with gold; + Brightest helm, brightest shield, + From Kiar's dwelling ere brought-- + Better all things I have + Than all things of the Huns." + + HOGNI SAID: + "What mind has our sister + That a ring she hath sent us + In weed of wolves clad? + Bids she not to be wary? + For a wolf's hair I found + The fair ring wreathed about; + Wolf beset shall the way be + If we wend on this errand." + + No sons whetted Gunnar, + Nor none of his kin, + Nor learned men nor wise men, + Nor such as were mighty. + Then spake Gunnar + E'en as a king should speak, + Glorious in mead-hall + From great heart and high: + + "Rise up now, Fiornir, + Forth down the benches + Let the gold-cups of great ones + Pass in hands of my good-men! + Well shall we drink wine, + Draughts dear to our hearts, + Though the last of all feasts + In our fair house this be! + + "For the wolves shall rule + O'er the wealth of the Niblungs, + With the pine-woods' wardens + In Gunnar perish: + And the black-felled bears + With fierce teeth shall bite + For the glee of the dog kind, + If again comes not Gunnar." + + Then good men never shamed, + Greeting aloud, + Led the great king of men + From the garth of his home; + And cried the fair son + Of Hogni the king: + "Fare happy, O Lords, + Whereso your hearts lead you!" + + Then the bold knights + Let their bit-griping steeds + Wend swift o'er the fells, + Tread the murk-wood unknown, + All the Hunwood was shaking + As the hardy ones fared there; + O'er the green meads they urged + Their steeds shy of the goad. + + Then Atli's land saw they; + Great towers and strong, + And the bold men of Bikki, + Aloft on the burg: + The Southland folks' hall + Set with benches about, + Dight with bucklers well bounden, + And bright white shining shields. + + There drank Atli, + The awful Hun king, + Wine in his fair hall; + Without were the warders, + Gunnar's folk to have heed of, + Lest they had fared thither + With the whistling spear + War to wake 'gainst the king. + + But first came their sister + As they came to the hall, + Both her brethren she met, + With beer little gladdened: + "Bewrayed art thou, Gunnar! + What dost thou great king + To deal war to the Huns? + Go thou swift from the hall! + + Better, brother, hadst thou + Fared here in thy byrny + Than with helm gaily dight + Looked on Atli's great house: + Them hadst sat then in saddle + Through days bright with the sun + Fight to awaken + And fair fields to redden: + + "O'er the folk fate makes pale + Should the Norn's tears have fallen, + The shield mays of the Huns + Should have known of all sorrow; + And King Atli himself + To worm-close should be brought; + But now is the worm-close + Kept but for thee." + + Then spake Gunnar + Great 'mid the people: + "Over-late sister + The Niblungs to summon; + A long way to seek + The helping of warriors, + The high lord unshamed, + From the hills of the Rhine!" + + .............. + + Seven Hogni beat down + With his sword sharp-grinded, + And the eighth man he thrust + Amidst of the fire. + Ever so shall famed warrior + Fight with his foemen, + As Hogni fought + For the hand of Gunnar. + + But on Gunnar they fell, + And set him in fetters, + And bound hard and fast + That friend of Burgundians; + Then the warrior they asked + If he would buy life, + But life with gold + That king of the Goths. + + Nobly spake Gunnar, + Great lord of the Niblungs; + "Hogni's bleeding heart first + Shall lie in mine hand, + Cut from the breast + Of the bold-riding lord, + With bitter-sharp knife + From the son of the king." + + With guile the great one + Would they beguile, + On the wailing thrall + Laid they hand unwares, + And cut the heart + From out of Hjalli, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it to Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler, + Little like the heart + Of Hogni the hardy: + As much as it trembleth + Laid on the trencher + By the half more it trembled + In the breast of him hidden." + + Then laughed Hogni + When they cut the heart from him, + From the crest-smith yet quick, + Little thought he to quail. + The hard acorn of thought + From the high king they took, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hogni the hardy, + Little like to the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler. + Howso little it quaketh + Laid here on the dish, + Yet far less it quaked + In the breast of him laid. + + "So far mayst thou bide + From men's eyen, O Atli, + As from that treasure + Thou shalt abide! + + "Behold in my heart + Is hidden for ever + That hoard of the Niblungs, + Now Hogni is dead. + Doubt threw me two ways + While the twain of us lived, + But all that is gone + Now I live on alone. + + "The great Rhine shall rule + O'er the hate-raising treasure, + That gold of the Niblungs, + The seed of the gods: + In the weltering water + Shall that wealth lie a-gleaming, + Or it shine on the hands + Of the children of Huns!" + + Then cried Atli, + King of the Hun-folk, + "Drive forth your wains now + The slave is fast bounden." + And straightly thence + The bit-shaking steeds + Drew the hoard-warden, + The war-god to his death. + + Atli the great king, + Rode upon Glaum, + With shields set round about, + And sharp thorns of battle: + Gudrun, bound by wedlock + To these, victory made gods of, + Held back her tears + As the hall she ran into. + + "Let it fare with thee, Atli, + E'en after thine oaths sworn + To Gunnar fell often; + Yea, oaths sworn of old time, + By the sun sloping southward, + By the high burg of Sigry, + By the fair bed of rest, + By the red ring of Ull!" + + Now a host of men + Cast the high king alive + Into a close + Crept o'er within + With most foul worms, + Fulfilled of all venom, + Ready grave to dig + In his doughty heart. + + Wrathful-hearted he smote + The harp with his hand, + Gunnar laid there alone; + And loud rang the strings.-- + In such wise ever + Should hardy ring-scatterer + Keep gold from all folk + In the garth of his foeman. + + Then Atli would wend + About his wide land, + On his steed brazen shod, + Back from the murder. + Din there was in the garth, + All thronged with the horses; + High the weapon-song rose + From men come from the heath. + + Out then went Gudrun, + 'Gainst Atli returning, + With a cup gilded over, + To greet the land's ruler; + "Come, then, and take it, + King glad in thine hall, + From Gudrun's hands, + For the hell-farers groan not!" + + Clashed the beakers of Atli, + Wine-laden on bench, + As in hall there a-gathered, + The Huns fell a-talking, + And the long-bearded eager ones + Entered therein, + From a murk den new-come, + From the murder of Gunnar. + + Then hastened the sweet-faced + Delight of the shield-folk, + Bright in the fair hall, + Wine to bear to them: + The dreadful woman + Gave dainties withal + To the lords pale with fate, + Laid strange word upon Atli: + + "The hearts of thy sons + Hast thou eaten, sword-dealer, + All bloody with death + And drenched with honey: + In most heavy mood + Brood o'er venison of men! + Drink rich draughts therewith, + Down the high benches send it! + + "Never callest thou now + From henceforth to thy knee + Fair Erp or fair Eiril, + Bright-faced with the drink; + Never seest thou them now + Amidmost the seat, + Scattering the gold, + Or shafting of spears; + Manes trimming duly, + Or driving steeds forth!" + + Din arose from the benches, + Dread song of men was there, + Noise 'mid the fair hangings, + As all Hun's children wept; + All saving Gudrun, + Who never gat greeting, + For her brethren bear-hardy + For her sweet sons and bright, + The young ones, the simple + Once gotten with Atli. + + ............... + + The seed of gold + Sowed the swan-bright woman, + Rings of red gold + She gave to the house-carls; + Fate let she wax, + Let the bright gold flow forth, + In naught spared that woman + The store-houses' wealth. + + Atli unaware + Was a-weary with drink; + No weapon had he, + No heeding of Gudrun-- + Ah, the pity would be better, + When in soft wise they twain + Would full often embrace + Before the great lords! + + To the bed with sword-point + Blood gave she to drink + With a hand fain of death, + And she let the dogs loose: + Then in from the hall-door-- + --Up waked the house-carls-- + Hot brands she cast, + Gat revenge for her brethren. + + To the flame gave she all + Who therein might be found; + Fell adown the old timbers, + Reeked all treasure-houses; + There the shield-mays were burnt, + Their lives' span brought to naught; + In the fierce fire sank down + All the stead of the Budlungs. + + Wide told of is this-- + Ne'er sithence in the world, + Thus fared bride clad in byrny + For her brothers' avenging; + For behold, this fair woman + To three kings of the people, + Hath brought very death + Or ever she died! + + + + +THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN. + +Gudrun went down unto the sea whenas she had slain Atli, and she cast +herself therein, for she was fain to end her life: but nowise might +she drown. She drave over the firths to the land of King Jonakr, and he +wedded her, and their sons were Sorli, and Erp, and Hamdir, and there +was Swanhild, Sigurd's daughter, nourished: and she was given to +Jormunrek the Mighty. Now Bikki was a man of his, and gave such counsel +to Randver, the king's son, as that he should take her; and with that +counsel were the young folk well content. + +Then Bikki told the king, and the king let hang Randver, but bade +Swanhild be trodden under horses' feet. But when Gudrun heard thereof, +she spake to her sons-- + + Words of strife heard I, + Huger than any, + Woeful words spoken, + Sprung from all sorrow, + When Gudrun fierce-hearted + With the grimmest of words + Whetter her sons + Unto the slaying. + + "Why are ye sitting here? + Why sleep ye life away? + Why doth it grieve you nought? + Glad words to speak, + Now when your sister-- + Young of years was she-- + Has Jormunrek trodden + With the treading of horses?-- + + "Black horses and white + In the highway of warriors; + Grey horses that know + The roads of the Goths.-- + + "Little like are ye grown + To that Gunnar of old days! + Nought are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your mood were in aught + As the mood of my brethren, + Or the hardy hearts + Of the Kings of the Huns!" + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted-- + "Little didst thou + Praise Hogni's doings, + When Sigurd woke + From out of sleep, + And the blue-white bed-gear + Upon thy bed + Grew red with man's blood-- + With the blood of thy mate! + + "Too baleful vengeance + Wroughtest thou for thy brethren + Most sore and evil + When thy sons thou slewedst, + Else all we together + On Jormunrek + Had wrought sore vengeance + For that our sister. + + "Come, bring forth quickly + The Hun kings' bright gear, + Since thou has urged us + Unto the sword-Thing!" + + Laughing went Gudrun + To the bower of good gear, + Kings' crested helms + From chests she drew, + And wide-wrought byrnies + Bore to her sons: + Then on their horses + Load laid the heroes. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted-- + "Never cometh again + His mother to see + The spear-god laid low + In the land of the Goths. + That one arvel mayst thou + For all of us drink, + For sister Swanhild, + And us thy sons." + + Greeted Gudrun + Giuki's daughter; + Sorrowing she went + In the forecourt to sit, + That she might tell, + With cheeks tear-furrowed, + Her weary wail + In many a wise. + + "Three fires I knew, + Three hearths I knew, + To three husbands' houses + Have I been carried; + And better than all + Had been Sigurd alone, + He whom my brethren + Brought to his bane. + + "Such sore grief as that + Methought never should be, + Yet more indeed + Was left for my torment + Then, when the great ones + Gave me to Atli. + + "My fair bright boys + I bade unto speech, + Nor yet might I win + Weregild for my bale, + Ere I had hewn off + Those Niblungs' heads. + + "To the sea-strand I went + With the Norns sorely wroth, + For I would thrust from me + The storm of their torment; + But the high billows + Would not drown, but bore me + Forth, till I stepped a-land + Longer to live. + + "Then I went a-bed-- + --Ah, better in the old days, + This was the third time!-- + To a king of the people; + Offspring I brought forth, + Props of a fair house, + Props of a fair house, + Jonakr's fair sons. + + "But around Swanhild + Bond-maidens sat, + Her, that of all mine + Most to my heart was; + Such was my Swanhild, + In my hall's midmost, + As is the sunbeam + Fair to beheld. + + "In gold I arrayed her, + And goodly raiment, + Or ever I gave her + To the folk of the Goths. + That was the hardest + Of my heavy woes, + When the bright hair,-- + O the bright hair of Swanhild!-- + In the mire was trodden + By the treading of horses. + + "This was the sorest, + When my love, my Sigurd, + Reft of glory + In his bed gat ending: + But this the grimmest + When glittering worms + Tore their way + Through the heart of Gunnar. + + "But this the keenest + When they cut to the quick + Of the hardy heart + Of the unfeared Hogni. + Of much of bale I mind me, + Of many griefs I mind me; + Why should I sit abiding + Yet more bale and more? + + "Thy coal-black horse, + O Sigurd, bridle, + The swift on the highway! + O let him speed hither! + Here sitteth no longer + Son or daughter, + More good gifts + To give to Gudrun! + + "Mindst thou not, Sigurd, + Of the speech betwixt us, + When on one bed + We both sat together, + O my great king-- + That thou wouldst come to me + E'en from the hall of Hell, + I to thee from the fair earth? + + "Pile high, O earls + The oaken pile, + Let it be the highest + That ever queen had! + Let the fire burn swift, + My breast with woe laden, + And thaw all my heart, + Hard, heavy with sorrow!" + + Now may all earls + Be bettered in mind, + May the grief of all maidens + Ever be minished, + For this tale of sorrow + So told to its ending. + + + + +THE LAY OF HAMDIR + + Great deeds of bale + In the garth began, + At the sad dawning + The tide of Elves' sorrow + When day is a-waxing + And man's grief awaketh, + And the sorrow of each one + The early day quickeneth. + + Not now, not now, + Nor yesterday, + But long ago + Has that day worn by, + That ancientest time, + The first time to tell of, + Then, whenas Gudrun, + Born of Giuki, + Whetter her sons + To Swanhild's avenging. + + "Your sister's name + Was naught but Swanhild, + Whom Jormunrek + With horses has trodden!-- + White horses and black + On the war-beaten way, + Grey horses that go + On the roads of the Goths. + + "All alone am I now + As in holt is the aspen; + As the fir-tree of boughs, + So of kin am I bare; + As bare of things longed for + As the willow of leaves + When the bough-breaking wind + The warm day endeth. + + "Few, sad, are ye left + O kings of my folk! + Yet alone living + Last shreds of my kin! + + "Ah, naught are ye grown + As that Gunnar of old days; + Naught are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your hearts were in aught + As the hearts of my brethren!" + + Then spake Hamdir + The high-hearted: + "Nought hadst thou to praise + The doings of Hogni, + When they woke up Sigurd + From out of slumber, + And in bed thou sat'st up + 'Mid the banes-men's laughter. + + "Then when thy bed=gear, + Blue-white, well woven + By art of craftsmen + All swam with thy king's blood; + The Sigurd died, + O'er his dead corpse thou sattest, + Not heeding aught gladsome, + Since Gunnar so willed it. + + "Great grief for Atli + Gatst thou by Erp's murder, + And the end of thine Eitil, + But worse grief for thyself. + Good to use sword + For the slaying of others + In such wise that its edge + Shall not turn on ourselves!" + + Then well spake Sorli + From a heart full of wisdom: + "No words will I + Make with my mother, + Though both ye twain + Need words belike-- + What askest thou, Gudrun, + To let thee go greeting? + + "Weep for thy brethren, + Weep for thy sweet sons, + And thy nighest kinsfolk + Laid by the fight-side! + Yea, and thou Gudrun, + May'st greet for us twain + Sitting fey on our steeds + Doomed in far lands to die." + + From the garth forth they went + With hearts full of fury, + Sorli and Hamdir, + The sons of Gudrun, + And they met on the way + The wise in all wiles: + "And thou little Erp, + What helping from thee?" + + He of alien womb + Spake out in such wise: + "Good help for my kin, + Such as foot gives to foot, + Or flesh-covered hand + Gives unto hand!" + + "What helping for foot + That help that foot giveth, + Or for flesh-covered hand + The helping of hand?" + + Then spake Erp + Yet once again + Mock spake the prince + As he sat on his steed: + "Fool's deed to show + The way to a dastard!" + "Bold beyond measure," + Quoth they, "is the base-born!" + + Out from the sheath + Drew they the sheath-steel, + And the glaives' edges played + For the pleasure of hell; + By the third part they minished + The might that they had, + Their young kin they let lie + A-cold on the earth. + + Then their fur-cloaks they shook + And bound fast their swords, + In webs goodly woven + Those great ones were clad; + Young they went o'er the fells + Where the dew was new-fallen + Swift, on steeds of the Huns, + Heavy vengeance to wreak. + + Forth stretched the ways, + And an ill way they found, + Yea, their sister's son (1) + Hanging slain upon tree-- + Wolf-trees by the wind made cold + At the town's westward + Loud with cranes' clatter-- + Ill abiding there long! + + Din in the king's hall + Of men merry with drink, + And none might hearken + The horses' tramping + Or ever the warders + Their great horn winded. + + Then men went forth + To Jormunrek + To tell of the heeding + Of men under helm: + "Give ye good counsel! + Great ones are come hither, + For the wrong of men mighty + Was the may to death trodden." + + "Loud Jormunrek laughed, + And laid hand to his beard, + Nor bade bring his byrny, + But with the wine fighting, + Shook his red locks, + On his white shield sat staring, + And in his hand + Swung the gold cup on high. + + "Sweet sight for me + Those twain to set eyes on, + Sorli and Hamdir, + Here in my hall! + Then with bowstrings + Would I bind them, + And hang the good Giukings + Aloft on the gallows!" + + .............. + + Then spake Hrothglod + From off the high steps, + Spake the slim-fingered + Unto her son,-- + --For a threat was cast forth + Of what ne'er should fall-- + "Shall two men alone + Two hundred Gothfolk + Bind or bear down + In the midst of their burg?" + + ............... + + Strife and din in the hall, + Cups smitten asunder + Men lay low in blood + From the breasts of Goths flowing. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted: + "Thou cravedst, O king, + From the coming of us, + The sons of one mother, + Amidmost thine hall-- + Look on these hands of thine, + Look on these feet of thine, + Cast by us, Jormunrek, + On to the flame!" + + Then cried aloud + The high Gods' kinsman (2) + Bold under byrny,-- + Roared he as bears roar; + "Stones to the stout ones + That the spears bite not, + Nor the edges of steel, + These sons of Jonakr!" + + .............. + + QUOTH SORLI: + "Bale, brother, wroughtst thou + By that bag's (3) opening, + Oft from that bag + Rede of bale cometh! + Heart hast thou, Hamdir, + If thou hadst heart's wisdom + Great lack in a man + Who lacks wisdom and lore!" + + HAMDIR SAID: + "Yes, off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold + Whom we slew by the way; + The far-famed through the world-- + Ah, the fares drave me on, + And the man war made holy, + There must I slay!" + + SORLI SAID: + "Unmeet we should do + As the doings of wolves are, + Raising wrong each 'gainst other + As the dogs of the Norns, + The greedy ones nourished + In waste steads of the world. + + In strong wise have we fought, + On Goths' corpses we stand, + Beat down by our edges, + E'en as ernes on the bough. + Great fame our might winneth, + Die we now, or to-morrow,-- + No man lives till eve + Whom the fates doom at morning." + At the hall's gable-end + Fell Sorli to earth, + But Hamdir lay low + At the back of the houses. + +Now this is called the Ancient Lay of Hamdir. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Randver, the son of their sister's husband. + (2) Odin, namely. + (3) "Bag", his mouth. + + + + +THE LAMENT OF ODDRUN. + +There was a king hight Heidrik, and his daughter was called Borgny, and +the name of her lover was Vilmund. Now she might nowise be made lighter +of a child she travailed with, before Oddrun, Atil's sister, came to +her,--she who had been the love of Gunnar, Giuki's son. But of their +speech together has this been sung: + + I have hear tell + In ancient tales + How a may there came + To Morna-land, + Because no man + On mould abiding + For Heidrik's daughter + Might win healing. + + All that heard Oddrun, + Atil's sister, + How that the damsel + Had heavy sickness, + So she led from stall + Her bridled steed, + And on the swart one + Laid the saddle. + + She made her horse wend + O'er smooth ways of earth, + Until to a high-built + Hall she came; + Then the saddle she had + From the hungry horse, + And her ways wended + In along the wide hall, + And this word first + Spake forth therewith: + + "What is most famed, + Afield in Hunland, + Or what may be + Blithest in Hunland?" + + QUOTH THE HANDMAID: + "Here lieth Borgny, + Borne down by trouble, + Thy sweet friend, O Oddrun, + See to her helping!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Who of the lords + Hath laid this grief on her, + Why is the anguish + Of Borgny so weary?" + + THE HANDMAID SAID: + "He is hight Vilmund, + Friend of hawk-bearers, + He wrapped the damsel + In the warm bed-gear + Five winters long + Without her father's wotting." + + No more than this + They spake methinks; + Kind sat she down + By the damsel's knee; + Mightily sand Oddrun, + Sharp piercing songs + By Borgny's side: + + Till a maid and a boy + Might tread on the world's ways, + Blithe babes and sweet + Of Hogni's bane: + Then the damsel forewearied + The word took up, + The first word of all + That had won from her: + + "So may help thee + All helpful things, + Fey and Freyia, + And all the fair Gods, + As thou hast thrust + This torment from me!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Yet no heart had I + For thy helping, + Since never wert thou + Worthy of helping, + But my word I held to, + That of old was spoken + When the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + That every soul + I would ever help." + + BORGNY SAID: + "Right mad art thou, Oddrun, + And reft of thy wits, + Whereas thou speakest + Hard words to me + Thy fellow ever + Upon the earth + As of brothers twain, + We had been born." + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Well I mind me yet, + What thou saidst that evening, + Whenas I bore forth + Fair drink for Gunnar; + Such a thing, saidst thou, + Should fall out never, + For any may + Save for me alone." + + Mind had the damsel + Of the weary day + Whenas the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + And she sat her down, + The sorrowful woman, + To tell of the bale, + And the heavy trouble. + + "Nourished was I + In the hall of kings-- + Most folk were glad-- + 'Mid the council of great ones: + In fair life lived I, + And the wealth of my father + For five winters only, + While yet he had life. + + "Such were the last words + That ever he spake, + The king forewearied, + Ere his ways he went; + For he bade folk give me + The gold red-gleaming, + And give me in Southlands + To the son of Grimhild. + + "But Brynhild he bade + To the helm to betake her, + And said that Death-chooser + She should become; + And that no better + Might ever be born + Into the world, + If fate would not spoil it. + + "Brynhild in bower + Sewed at her broidery, + Folk she had + And fair lands about her; + Earth lay a-sleeping, + Slept the heavens aloft + When Fafnir's-bane + The burg first saw. + + "Then was war waged + With the Welsh-wrought sword + And the burg all broken + That Brynhild owned; + Nor wore long space, + E'en as well might be, + Ere all those wiles + Full well she knew. + + "Hard and dreadful + Was the vengeance she drew down, + So that all we + Have woe enow. + Through all lands of the world + Shall that story fare forth + How she did her to death + For the death of Sigurd. + + "But therewithal Gunnar + The gold-scatterer + Did I fall to loving + And should have loved him. + Rings of red gold + Would they give to Atli, + Would give to my brother + Things goodly and great. + + "Yea, fifteen steads + Would they give for me, + And the load of Grani + To have as a gift; + But then spake Atli, + That such was his will, + Never gift to take + From the sons of Giuki. + + "But we in nowise + Might love withstand, + And mine head must I lay + On my love, the ring-breaker; + And many there were + Among my kin, + Who said that they + Had seen us together. + + "Then Atli said + That I surely never + Would fall to crime + Or shameful folly: + But now let no one + For any other, + That shame deny + Where love has dealing. + + "For Atli sent + His serving-folk + Wide through the murkwood + Proof to win of me, + And thither they came + Where they ne'er should have come, + Where one bed we twain + Had dight betwixt us. + + "To those men had we given + Rings of red gold, + Naught to tell + Thereof to Atli, + But straight they hastened + Home to the house, + And all the tale + To Atli told. + + 'Whereas from Gudrun + Well they hid it, + Though better by half + Had she have known it. + + ................ + + "Din was there to hear + Of the hoofs gold-shod, + When into the garth + Rode the sons of Giuki. + + "There from Hogni + The heart they cut, + But into the worm-close + Cast the other. + There the king, the wise-hearted, + Swept his harp-strings, + For the might king + Had ever mind + That I to his helping + Soon should come. + + "But now was I gone + Yet once again + Unto Geirmund, + Good feast to make; + Yet had I hearing, + E'en out from Hlesey, + How of sore trouble + The harp-strings sang. + + "So I bade the bondmaids + Be ready swiftly, + For I listed to save + The life of the king, + And we let our ship + Swim over the sound, + Till Atli's dwelling + We saw all clearly. + + Then came the wretch (1) + Crawling out, + E'en Atli's mother, + All sorrow upon her! + A grave gat her sting + In the heart of Gunnar, + So that no helping + Was left for my hero. + + "O gold-clad woman, + Full oft I wonder + How I my life + Still hold thereafter, + For methought I loved + That light in battle, + The swift with the sword, + As my very self. + + "Thou hast sat and hearkened + As I have told thee + Of many an ill-fate, + Mine and theirs-- + Each man liveth + E'en as he may live-- + Now hath gone forth + The greeting of Oddrun." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Atli's mother took the form of the only adder that was not + lulled to sleep by Gunnar's harp-playing, and who slew him. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga +Saga), by Anonymous + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1152 *** diff --git a/1152-h/1152-h.htm b/1152-h/1152-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5422e7e --- /dev/null +++ b/1152-h/1152-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9602 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga), by Anonymous + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1152 ***</div> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS, (VOLSUNGA SAGA) + </h1> + <h3> + WITH EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA <br /><br /> By Anonymous + </h3> + <div class="mynote"> + <p> + Originally written in Icelandic (Old Norse) in the thirteenth century + A.D., by an unknown hand. However, most of the material is based + substantially on previous works, some centuries older. A few of these + works have been preserved in the collection of Norse poetry known as the + "Poetic Edda". + </p> + <p> + The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Story of the + Volsungs", translated by William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson (Walter + Scott Press, London, 1888). + </p> + <p> + Douglas B. Killings + </p> + SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: RECOMMENDED READING— + <p> + Anonymous: "Kudrun", Translated by Marion E. Gibbs & Sidney Johnson + (Garland Pub., New York, 1992). + </p> + <p> + Anonymous: "Nibelungenlied", Translated by A.T. Hatto (Penguin Classics, + London, 1962). + </p> + <p> + Saxo Grammaticus: "The First Nine Books of the Danish History", + Translated by Oliver Elton (London, 1894; Reissued by the Online + Medieval and Classical Library as E-Text OMACL #28, 1997). + </p> + <br /> + </div> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_INTR"> INTRODUCTION </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS. </a> + </p> + <p> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I. </a> Of Sigi, the Son of + Odin <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II. </a> Of + the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son of Sigi <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III. </a> Of the Sword that + Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the Branstock <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV. </a> How King Siggeir + wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his son to Gothland <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V. </a> Of the Slaying of + King Volsung <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI. </a> Of + how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to Sigmund <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII. </a> Of the Birth of + Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER + VIII. </a> The Death of King Siggeir and of Signy <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX. </a> How Helgi, the son + of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his Realm, and wedded Sigrun <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X. </a> The ending of + Sinfjotli, Sigmund's Son <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI. + </a> Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield + up his Sword again <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XII. </a> Of + the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER XIII. </a> Of the Birth and + Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0014"> + CHAPTER XIV. </a> Regin's tale of his Brothers, and of the + Gold called Andvari's Hoard <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER + XV. </a> Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sword + Gram <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER XVI. </a> The + prophecy of Grifir <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER XVII. + </a> Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0018"> CHAPTER XVIII. </a> Of the Slaying of + the Worm Fafnir <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER XIX. </a> Of + the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0020"> + CHAPTER XX. </a> Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the + Mountain <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0021"> CHAPTER XXI. </a> More + Wise Words of Brynhild <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0022"> CHAPTER XXII. + </a> Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0023"> CHAPTER XXIII. </a> Sigurd comes to + Hlymdale <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0024"> CHAPTER XXIV. </a> Sigurd + sees Brynhild at Hlymdale <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0025"> CHAPTER + XXV. </a> Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0026"> CHAPTER XXVI. </a> Sigurd comes to + the Giukings and is wedded to Gudrun <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0027"> + CHAPTER XXVII. </a> The Wooing of Brynhild <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0028"> CHAPTER XXVIII. </a> How the Queens + held angry converse together at the Bathing <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0029"> CHAPTER XXIX. </a> Of Brynhild's great + Grief and Mourning <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0030"> CHAPTER XXX. </a> Of + the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0031"> + CHAPTER XXXI. </a> Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd + dead, as it is told told in ancient Songs <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0032"> CHAPTER XXXII. </a> Of the Ending of + Brynhild <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0033"> CHAPTER XXXIII. </a> Gudrun + wedded to Atli <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0034"> CHAPTER XXXIV. </a> Atli + bids the Giukings to him <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0035"> CHAPTER + XXXV. </a> The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0036"> CHAPTER XXXVI. </a> Of the Journey + of the Giukings to King Atli <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0037"> CHAPTER + XXXVII. </a> The Battle in the Burg of King Atli <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0038"> CHAPTER XXXVIII. </a> Of + the slaying of the Giukings <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0039"> CHAPTER + XXXIX. </a> The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0040"> CHAPTER XL. </a> How Gudrun cast + herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore again <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0041"> CHAPTER XLI. </a> Of the Wedding and + Slaying of Swanhild <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0042"> CHAPTER XLII. + </a> Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0043"> CHAPTER XLIII. </a> The Latter End of + all the Kin of the Giukings <br /><br /><br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_APPE"> APPENDIX: EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_PART"> PART OF THE SECOND LAY OF HELGI HUNDINGS-BANE + (1) </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_PART2"> PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0050"> THE LAY CALLED THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0051"> THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0052"> FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF BRYNHILD </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0053"> THE SECOND OR ANCIENT LAY OF GUDRUN. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0054"> THE SONG OF ATLI. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0055"> THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0056"> THE LAY OF HAMDIR </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0057"> THE LAMENT OF ODDRUN. </a> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_INTR" id="link2H_INTR"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + INTRODUCTION + </h2> + <p> + It would seem fitting for a Northern folk, deriving the greater and better + part of their speech, laws, and customs from a Northern root, that the + North should be to them, if not a holy land, yet at least a place more to + be regarded than any part of the world beside; that howsoever their + knowledge widened of other men, the faith and deeds of their forefathers + would never lack interest for them, but would always be kept in + remembrance. One cause after another has, however, aided in turning + attention to classic men and lands at the cost of our own history. Among + battles, "every schoolboy" knows the story of Marathon or Salamis, while + it would be hard indeed to find one who did more than recognise the name, + if even that, of the great fights of Hafrsfirth or Sticklestead. The + language and history of Greece and Rome, their laws and religions, have + been always held part of the learning needful to an educated man, but no + trouble has been taken to make him familiar with his own people or their + tongue. Even that Englishman who knew Alfred, Bede, Caedmon, as well as he + knew Plato, Caesar, Cicero, or Pericles, would be hard bestead were he + asked about the great peoples from whom we sprang; the warring of Harold + Fairhair or Saint Olaf; the Viking (1) kingdoms in these (the British) + Western Isles; the settlement of Iceland, or even of Normandy. The + knowledge of all these things would now be even smaller than it is among + us were it not that there was one land left where the olden learning found + refuge and was kept in being. In England, Germany, and the rest of Europe, + what is left of the traditions of pagan times has been altered in a + thousand ways by foreign influence, even as the peoples and their speech + have been by the influx of foreign blood; but Iceland held to the old + tongue that was once the universal speech of northern folk, and held also + the great stores of tale and poem that are slowly becoming once more the + common heritage of their descendants. The truth, care, and literary beauty + of its records; the varied and strong life shown alike in tale and + history; and the preservation of the old speech, character, and tradition—a + people placed apart as the Icelanders have been—combine to make + valuable what Iceland holds for us. Not before 1770, when Bishop Percy + translated Mallet's "Northern Antiquities", was anything known here of + Icelandic, or its literature. Only within the latter part of this century + has it been studied, and in the brief book-list at the end of this volume + may be seen the little that has been done as yet. It is, however, becoming + ever clearer, and to an increasing number, how supremely important is + Icelandic as a word-hoard to the English-speaking peoples, and that in its + legend, song, and story there is a very mine of noble and pleasant beauty + and high manhood. That which has been done, one may hope, is but the + beginning of a great new birth, that shall give back to our language and + literature all that heedlessness and ignorance bid fair for awhile to + destroy. + </p> + <p> + The Scando-Gothic peoples who poured southward and westward over Europe, + to shake empires and found kingdoms, to meet Greek and Roman in conflict, + and levy tribute everywhere, had kept up their constantly-recruited waves + of incursion, until they had raised a barrier of their own blood. It was + their own kin, the sons of earlier invaders, who stayed the landward march + of the Northmen in the time of Charlemagne. To the Southlands their road + by land was henceforth closed. Then begins the day of the Vikings, who, + for two hundred years and more, "held the world at ransom." Under many and + brave leaders they first of all came round the "Western Isles" (2) toward + the end of the eighth century; soon after they invaded Normandy, and + harried the coasts of France; gradually they lengthened their voyages + until there was no shore of the then known world upon which they were + unseen or unfelt. A glance at English history will show the large part of + it they fill, and how they took tribute from the Anglo-Saxons, who, by the + way, were far nearer kin to them than is usually thought. In Ireland, + where the old civilisation was falling to pieces, they founded kingdoms at + Limerick and Dublin among other places; (3) the last named, of which the + first king, Olaf the White, was traditionally descended of Sigurd the + Volsung, (4) endured even to the English invasion, when it was taken by + men of the same Viking blood a little altered. What effect they produced + upon the natives may be seen from the description given by the unknown + historian of the "Wars of the Gaedhil with the Gaill": "In a word, + although there were an hundred hard-steeled iron heads on one neck, and an + hundred sharp, ready, cool, never-rusting brazen tongues in each head, and + an hundred garrulous, loud, unceasing voices from each tongue, they could + not recount, or narrate, or enumerate, or tell what all the Gaedhil + suffered in common—both men and women, laity and clergy, old and + young, noble and ignoble—of hardship, and of injury, and of + oppression, in every house, from these valiant, wrathful, purely pagan + people. Even though great were this cruelty, oppression, and tyranny, + though numerous were the oft-victorious clans of the many-familied Erinn; + though numerous their kings, and their royal chiefs, and their princes; + though numerous their heroes and champions, and their brave soldiers, + their chiefs of valour and renown and deeds of arms; yet not one of them + was able to give relief, alleviation, or deliverance from that oppression + and tyranny, from the numbers and multitudes, and the cruelty and the + wrath of the brutal, ferocious, furious, untamed, implacable hordes by + whom that oppression was inflicted, because of the excellence of their + polished, ample, treble, heavy, trusty, glittering corslets; and their + hard, strong, valiant swords; and their well-riveted long spears, and + their ready, brilliant arms of valour besides; and because of the + greatness of their achievements and of their deeds, their bravery, and + their valour, their strength, and their venom, and their ferocity, and + because of the excess of their thirst and their hunger for the brave, + fruitful, nobly-inhabited, full of cataracts, rivers, bays, pure, + smooth-plained, sweet grassy land of Erinn"—(pp. 52-53). Some part + of this, however, must be abated, because the chronicler is exalting the + terror-striking enemy that he may still further exalt his own people, the + Dal Cais, who did so much under Brian Boroimhe to check the inroads of the + Northmen. When a book does (5) appear, which has been announced these ten + years past, we shall have more material for the reconstruction of the life + of those times than is now anywhere accessible. Viking earldoms also were + the Orkneys, Faroes, and Shetlands. So late as 1171, in the reign of Henry + II., the year after Beckett's murder, Earl Sweyn Asleifsson of Orkney, who + had long been the terror of the western seas, "fared a sea-roving" and + scoured the western coast of England, Man, and the east of Ireland, but + was killed in an attack on his kinsmen of Dublin. He had used to go upon a + regular plan that may be taken as typical of the homely manner of most of + his like in their cruising: "Sweyn had in the spring hard work, and made + them lay down very much seed, and looked much after it himself. But when + that toil was ended, he fared away every spring on a viking-voyage, and + harried about among the southern isles and Ireland, and came home after + midsummer. That he called spring-viking. Then he was at home until the + corn-fields were reaped down, and the grain seen to and stored. Then he + fared away on a viking-voyage, and then he did not come home till the + winter was one month off, and that he called his autumn-viking." (6) + </p> + <p> + Toward the end of the ninth century Harold Fairhair, either spurred by the + example of Charlemagne, or really prompted, as Snorri Sturluson tells us, + resolved to bring all Norway under him. As Snorri has it in + "Heimskringla": "King Harold sent his men to a girl hight Gyda.... The + king wanted her for his leman; for she was wondrous beautiful but of high + mood withal. Now when the messengers came there and gave their message to + her, she made answer that she would not throw herself away even to take a + king for her husband, who swayed no greater kingdom than a few districts; + 'And methinks,' said she, 'it is a marvel that no king here in Norway will + put all the land under him, after the fashion that Gorm the Old did in + Denmark, or Eric at Upsala.' The messengers deemed this a dreadfully + proud-spoken answer, and asked her what she thought would come of such an + one, for Harold was so mighty a man that his asking was good enough for + her. But although she had replied to their saying otherwise than they + would, they saw no likelihood, for this while, of bearing her along with + them against her will, so they made ready to fare back again. When they + were ready and the folk followed them out, Gyda said to the messengers—'Now + tell to King Harold these my words:—I will only agree to be his + lawful wife upon the condition that he shall first, for sake of me, put + under him the whole of Norway, so that he may bear sway over that kingdom + as freely and fully as King Eric over the realm of Sweden, or King Gorm + over Denmark; for only then, methinks, can he be called king of a people.' + Now his men came back to King Harold, bringing him the words of the girl, + and saying she was so bold and heedless that she well deserved the king + should send a greater troop of people for her, and put her to some + disgrace. Then answered the king. 'This maid has not spoken or done so + much amiss that she should be punished, but the rather should she be + thanked for her words. She has reminded me,' said he, 'of somewhat that it + seems wonderful I did not think of before. And now,' added he, 'I make the + solemn vow, and take who made me and rules over all things, to witness + that never shall I clip or comb my hair until I have subdued all Norway + with scatt, and duties, and lordships; or, if not, have died in the + seeking.' Guttorm gave great thanks to the king for his oath, saying it + was "royal work fulfilling royal rede." The new and strange government + that Harold tried to enforce—nothing less than the feudal system in + a rough guise —which made those who had hitherto been their own men + save at special times, the king's men at all times, and laid freemen under + tax, was withstood as long as might be by the sturdy Norsemen. It was only + by dint of hard fighting that he slowly won his way, until at Hafrsfirth + he finally crushed all effective opposition. But the discontented, "and + they were a great multitude," fled oversea to the outlands, Iceland, the + Faroes, the Orkneys, and Ireland. The whole coast of Europe, even to + Greece and the shores of the Black Sea, the northern shores of Africa, and + the western part of Asia, felt the effects also. Rolf Pad-th'-hoof, son of + Harold's dear friend Rognvald, made an outlaw for a cattle-raid within the + bounds of the kingdom, betook himself to France, and, with his men, + founded a new people and a dynasty. + </p> + <p> + Iceland had been known for a good many years, but its only dwellers had + been Irish Culdees, who sought that lonely land to pray in peace. Now, + however, both from Norway and the Western Isles settlers began to come in. + Aud, widow of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, came, bringing with her many + of mixed blood, for the Gaedhil (pronounced "Gael", Irish) and the Gaill + (pronounced "Gaul", strangers) not only fought furiously, but made friends + firmly, and often intermarried. Indeed, the Westmen were among the first + arrivals, and took the best parts of the island—on its western + shore, appropriately enough. After a time the Vikings who had settled in + the Isles so worried Harold and his kingdom, upon which they swooped every + other while, that he drew together a mighty force, and fell upon them + wheresoever he could find them, and followed them up with fire and sword; + and this he did twice, so that in those lands none could abide but folk + who were content to be his men, however lightly they might hold their + allegiance. Hence it was to Iceland that all turned who held to the old + ways, and for over sixty years from the first comer there was a stream of + hardy men pouring in, with their families and their belongings, simple + yeomen, great and warwise chieftains, rich landowners, who had left their + land "for the overbearing of King Harold," as the "Landnamabok" (7) has + it. "There also we shall escape the troubling of kings and scoundrels", + says the "Vatsdaelasaga". So much of the best blood left Norway that the + king tried to stay the leak by fines and punishments, but in vain. + </p> + <p> + As his ship neared the shore, the new-coming chief would leave it to the + gods as to where he settled. The hallowed pillars of the high seat, which + were carried away from his old abode, were thrown overboard, with certain + rites, and were let drive with wind and wave until they came ashore. The + piece of land which lay next the beach they were flung upon was then + viewed from the nearest hill-summit, and place of the homestead picked + out. Then the land was hallowed by being encircled with fire, parcelled + among the band, and marked out with boundary-signs; the houses were built, + the "town" or home-field walled in, a temple put up, and the settlement + soon assumed shape. In 1100 there were 4500 franklins, making a population + of about 50,000, fully three-fourths of whom had a strong infusion of + Celtic blood in them. The mode of life was, and is, rather pastoral than + aught else. In the 39,200 square miles of the island's area there are now + about 250 acres of cultivated land, and although there has been much more + in times past, the Icelanders have always been forced to reckon upon + flocks and herds as their chief resources, grain of all kinds, even rye, + only growing in a few favoured places, and very rarely there; the hay, + self-sown, being the only certain harvest. On the coast fishing and + fowling were of help, but nine-tenths of the folk lived by their sheep and + cattle. Potatoes, carrots, turnips, and several kinds of cabbage have, + however, been lately grown with success. They produced their own food and + clothing, and could export enough wool, cloth, horn, dried fish, etc., as + enabled them to obtain wood for building, iron for tools, honey, wine, + grain, etc, to the extent of their simple needs. Life and work was lotted + by the seasons and their changes; outdoor work—fishing, herding, + hay-making, and fuel-getting—filling the long days of summer, while + the long, dark winter was used in weaving and a hundred indoor crafts. The + climate is not so bad as might be expected, seeing that the island touches + the polar circle, the mean temperature at Reykjavik being 39 degrees. + </p> + <p> + The religion which the settlers took with them into Iceland—the + ethnic religion of the Norsefolk, which fought its last great fight at + Sticklestead, where Olaf Haraldsson lost his life and won the name of + Saint—was, like all religions, a compound of myths, those which had + survived from savage days, and those which expressed the various degrees + of a growing knowledge of life and better understanding of nature. Some + historians and commentators are still fond of the unscientific method of + taking a later religion, in this case christianity, and writing down all + apparently coincident parts of belief, as having been borrowed from the + christian teachings by the Norsefolk, while all that remain they lump + under some slighting head. Every folk has from the beginning of time + sought to explain the wonders of nature, and has, after its own fashion, + set forth the mysteries of life. The lowest savage, no less than his more + advanced brother, has a philosophy of the universe by which he solves the + world-problem to his own satisfaction, and seeks to reconcile his conduct + with his conception of the nature of things. Now, it is not to be thought, + save by "a priori" reasoners, that such a folk as the Northmen—a + mighty folk, far advanced in the arts of life, imaginative, literary—should + have had no further creed than the totemistic myths of their primitive + state; a state they have wholly left ere they enter history. Judging from + universal analogy, the religion of which record remains to us was just + what might be looked for at the particular stage of advancement the + Northmen had reached. Of course something may have been gained from + contact with other peoples—from the Greeks during the long years in + which the northern races pressed upon their frontier; from the Irish + during the existence of the western viking-kingdoms; but what I + particularly warn young students against is the constant effort of a + certain order of minds to wrest facts into agreement with their pet + theories of religion or what not. The whole tendency of the more modern + investigation shows that the period of myth-transmission is long over ere + history begins. The same confusion of different stages of myth-making is + to be found in the Greek religion, and indeed in those of all peoples; + similar conditions of mind produce similar practices, apart from all + borrowing of ideas and manners; in Greece we find snake-dances, + bear-dances, swimming with sacred pigs, leaping about in imitation of + wolves, dog-feasts, and offering of dogs' flesh to the gods—all of + them practices dating from crude savagery, mingled with ideas of exalted + and noble beauty, but none now, save a bigot, would think of accusing the + Greeks of having stolen all their higher beliefs. Even were some part of + the matter of their myths taken from others, yet the Norsemen have given + their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, and placed them upon a high + level that is all their own. (8) From the prose Edda the following all too + brief statement of the salient points of Norse belief is made up:—"The + first and eldest of gods is hight Allfather; he lives from all ages, and + rules over all his realm, and sways all things great and small; he + smithied heaven and earth, and the lift, and all that belongs to them; + what is most, he made man, and gave him a soul that shall live and never + perish; and all men that are right-minded shall live and be with himself + in Vingolf; but wicked men fare to Hell, and thence into Niithell, that is + beneath in the ninth world. Before the earth ''twas the morning of time, + when yet naught was, nor sand nor sea was there, nor cooling streams. + Earth was not found, nor Heaven above; a Yawning-gap there was, but grass + nowhere.' Many ages ere the earth was shapen was Niflheim made, but first + was that land in the southern sphere hight Muspell, that burns and blazes, + and may not be trodden by those who are outlandish and have no heritage + there. Surtr sits on the border to guard the land; at the end of the world + he will fare forth, and harry and overcome all the gods and burn the world + with fire. Ere the races were yet mingled, or the folk of men grew, + Yawning-gap, which looked towards the north parts, was filled with thick + and heavy ice and rime, and everywhere within were fog and gusts; but the + south side of Yawning-gap lightened by the sparks and gledes that flew out + of Muspell-heim; as cold arose out of Niflheim and all things grim, so was + that part that looked towards Muspell hot and bright; but Yawning-gap was + as light as windless air, and when the blast of heat met the rime, so that + it melted and dropped and quickened; from those life-drops there was + shaped the likeness of a man, and he was named Ymir; he was bad, and all + his kind; and so it is said, when he slept he fell into a sweat; then + waxed under his left hand a man and a woman, and one of his feet got a son + with the other, and thence cometh the Hrimthursar. The next thing when the + rime dropped was that the cow hight Audhumla was made of it; but four + milk-rivers ran out of her teats, and she fed Ymir; she licked rime-stones + that were salt, and the first day there came at even, out of the stones, a + man's hair, the second day a man's head, the third day all the man was + there. He is named Turi; he was fair of face, great and mighty; he gat a + son named Bor, who took to him Besla, daughter of Bolthorn, the giant, and + they had three sons, Odin, Vili, and Ve. Bor's sons slew Ymir the giant, + but when he fell there ran so much blood out of his wounds that all the + kin of the Hrimthursar were drowned, save Hvergelmir and his household, + who got away in a boat. Then Bor's sons took Ymir and bore him into the + midst of Yawning-gap, and made of him the earth; of his blood seas and + waters, of his flesh earth was made; they set the earth fast, and laid the + sea round about it in a ring without; of his bones were made rocks; stones + and pebbles of his teeth and jaws and the bones that were broken; they + took his skull and made the lift thereof, and set it up over the earth + with four sides, and under each corner they set dwarfs, and they took his + brain and cast it aloft, and made clouds. They took the sparks and gledes + that went loose, and had been cast out of Muspellheim, and set them in the + lift to give light; they gave resting-places to all fires, and set some in + the lift; some fared free under it, and they gave them a place and shaped + their goings. A wondrous great smithying, and deftly done. The earth is + fashioned round without, and there beyond, round about it lies the deep + sea; and on that sea-strand the gods gave land for an abode to the giant + kind, but within on the earth made they a burg round the world against + restless giants, and for this burg reared they the brows of Ymir, and + called the burg Midgard. The gods went along the sea-strand and found two + stocks, and shaped out of them men; the first gave soul and life, the + second wit and will to move, the third face, hearing, speech, and + eyesight. They gave them clothing and names; the man Ask and the woman + Embla; thence was mankind begotten, to whom an abode was given under + Midgard. Then next Bor's sons made them a burg in the midst of the world, + that is called Asgard; there abode the gods and their kind, and wrought + thence many tidings and feats, both on earth and in the Sky. Odin, who is + hight Allfather, for that he is the father of all men and sat there in his + high seat, seeing over the whole world and each man's doings, and knew all + things that he saw. His wife was called Frigg, and their offspring is the + Asa-stock, who dwell in Asgard and the realms about it, and all that stock + are known to be gods. The daughter and wife of Odin was Earth, and of her + he got Thor, him followed strength and sturdiness, thereby quells he all + things quick; the strongest of all gods and men, he has also three things + of great price, the hammer Miolnir, the best of strength belts, and when + he girds that about him waxes his god strength one-half, and his iron + gloves that he may not miss for holding his hammer's haft. Balidr is + Odin's second son, and of him it is good to say, he is fair and: bright in + face, and hair, and body, and him all praise; he is wise and fair-spoken + and mild, and that nature is in him none may withstand his doom. Tyr is + daring and best of mood; there is a saw that he is tyrstrong who is before + other men and never yields; he is also so wise that it is said he is + tyrlearned who is wise. Bragi is famous for wisdom, and best in + tongue-wit, and cunning speech, and song-craft. 'And many other are there, + good and great; and one, Loki, fair of face, ill in temper and fickle of + mood, is called the backbiter of the Asa, and speaker of evil redes and + shame of all gods and men; he has above all that craft called sleight, and + cheats all in all things. Among the children of Loki are Fenris-wolf and + Midgards-worm; the second lies about all the world in the deep sea, + holding his tail in his teeth, though some say Thor has slain him; but + Fenris-wolf is bound until the doom of the gods, when gods and men shall + come to an end, and earth and heaven be burnt, when he shall slay Odin. + After this the earth shoots up from the sea, and it is green and fair, and + the fields bear unsown, and gods and men shall be alive again, and sit in + fair halls, and talk of old tales and the tidings that happened aforetime. + The head-seat, or holiest-stead, of the gods is at Yggdrasil's ash, which + is of all trees best and biggest; its boughs are spread over the whole + world and stand above heaven; one root of the ash is in heaven, and under + the root is the right holy spring; there hold the gods doom every day; the + second root is with the Hrimthursar, where before was Yawning-gap; under + that root is Mimir's spring, where knowledge and wit lie hidden; thither + came Allfather and begged a drink, but got it not before he left his eye + in pledge; the third root is over Niflheim, and the worm Nidhogg gnaws the + root beneath. A fair hall stands under the ash by the spring, and out of + it come three maidens, Norns, named Has-been, Being, Will-be, who shape + the lives of men; there are beside other Norns, who come to every man that + is born to shape his life, and some of these are good and some evil. In + the boughs of the ash sits an eagle, wise in much, and between his eyes + sits the hawk Vedrfalnir; the squirrel Ratatoskr runs up and down along + the ash, bearing words of hate betwixt the eagle and the worm. Those Norns + who abide by the holy spring draw from it every day water, and take the + clay that lies around the well, and sprinkle them up over the ash for that + its boughs should not wither or rot. All those men that have fallen in the + fight, and borne wounds and toil unto death, from the beginning of the + world, are come to Odin in Valhall; a very great throng is there, and many + more shall yet come; the flesh of the boar Soerfmnir is sodden for them + every day, and he is whole again at even; and the mead they drink that + flows from the teats of the she-goat Heidhrun. The meat Odin has on his + board he gives to his two wolves, Geri and Freki, and he needs no meat, + wine is to him both meat and drink; ravens twain sit on his shoulders, and + say into his ear all tidings that they see and hear; they are called + Huginn and Muninn (mind and memory); them sends he at dawn to fly over the + whole world, and they come back at breakfast-tide, thereby becomes he wise + in many tidings, and for this men call him Raven's-god. Every day, when + they have clothed them, the heroes put on their arms and go out into the + yard and fight and fell each other; that is their play, and when it looks + toward mealtime, then ride they home to Valhall and sit down to drink. For + murderers and men forsworn is a great hall, and a bad, and the doors look + northward; it is altogether wrought of adder-backs like a wattled house, + but the worms' heads turn into the house, and blow venom, so that rivers + of venom run along the hall, and in those rivers must such men wade + forever." There was no priest-class; every chief was priest for his own + folk, offered sacrifice, performed ceremonies, and so on. + </p> + <p> + In politics the homestead, with its franklin-owner, was the unit; the + "thing", or hundred-moot, the primal organisation, and the "godord", or + chieftainship, its tie. The chief who had led a band of kinsmen and + followers to the new country, taken possession of land, and shared it + among them, became their head-ruler and priest at home, speaker and + president of their Thing, and their representative in any dealings with + neighbouring chiefs and their clients. He was not a feudal lord, for any + franklin could change his "godord" as he liked, and the right of "judgment + by peers" was in full use. At first there was no higher organisation than + the local thing. A central thing, and a speaker to speak a single "law" + for the whole island, was instituted in 929, and afterwards the island was + divided in four quarters, each with a court, under the Al-thing. Society + was divided only into two classes of men, the free and unfree, though + political power was in the hands of the franklins alone; "godi" and thrall + ate the same food, spoke the same tongue, wore much the same clothes, and + were nearly alike in life and habits. Among the free men there was + equality in all but wealth and the social standing that cannot be + separated therefrom. The thrall was a serf rather than a slave, and could + own a house, etc., of his own. In a generation or so the freeman or + landless retainer, if he got a homestead of his own, was the peer of the + highest in the land. During the tenth century Greenland was colonised from + Iceland, and by end of the same century christianity was introduced into + Iceland, but made at first little difference in arrangements of society. + In the thirteenth century disputes over the power and jurisdiction of the + clergy led, with other matters, to civil war, ending in submission to + Norway, and the breaking down of all native great houses. Although life + under the commonwealth had been rough and irregular, it had been free and + varied, breeding heroes and men of mark; but the "law and order" now + brought in left all on a dead level of peasant proprietorship, without + room for hope or opening for ambition. An alien governor ruled the island, + which was divided under him into local counties, administered by sheriffs + appointed by the king of Norway. The Al-thing was replaced by a royal + court, the local work of the local things was taken by a subordinate of + the sheriff, and things, quarter-courts, trial by jury, and all the rest, + were swept away to make room for these "improvements", which have lasted + with few changes into this century. In 1380 the island passed under the + rule of Denmark, and so continues. (9) During the fifteenth century the + English trade was the only link between Iceland and the outer world; the + Danish government weakened that link as much as it could, and sought to + shut in and monopolise everything Icelandic; under the deadening effect of + such rule it is no marvel that everything found a lower level, and many + things went out of existence for lack of use. In the sixteenth century + there is little to record but the Reformation, which did little good, if + any, and the ravages of English, Gascon, and Algerine pirates who made + havoc on the coast; (10) they appear toward the close of the century and + disappear early in the seventeenth. In the eighteenth century small-pox, + sheep disease, famine, and the terrible eruptions of 1765 and 1783, follow + one another swiftly and with terrible effect. At the beginning of the + present century Iceland, however, began to shake off the stupor her + ill-hap had brought upon her, and as European attention had been drawn to + her, she was listened to. Newspapers, periodicals, and a Useful Knowledge + Society were started; then came free trade, and the "home-rule" struggle, + which met with partial success in 1874, and is still being carried on. A + colony, Gimli, in far-off Canada, has been formed of Icelandic emigrants, + and large numbers have left their mother-land; but there are many + co-operative societies organised now, which it is hoped will be able to so + revive the old resources of the island as to make provision for the old + population and ways of life. There is now again a representative central + council, but very many of the old rights and powers have not been yet + restored. The condition of society is peculiar absence of towns, social + equality, no abject poverty or great wealth, rarity of crime, making it + easy for the whole country to be administered as a co-operative + commonwealth without the great and striking changes rendered necessary by + more complicated systems. + </p> + <p> + Iceland has always borne a high name for learning and literature; on both + sides of their descent people inherited special poetic power. Some of + older Eddaic fragments attest the great reach and deep overpowering + strength of imagination possessed by their Norse ancestors; and they + themselves had been quickened by a new leaven. During the first + generations of the "land-taking" a great school of poetry which had arisen + among the Norsemen of the Western Isles was brought by them to Iceland. + (11) The poems then produced are quite beyond parallel with those of any + Teutonic language for centuries after their date, which lay between the + beginning of the ninth and the end of the tenth centuries. Through the + Greenland colony also came two, or perhaps more, great poems of this + western school. This school grew out of the stress and storm of the viking + life, with its wild adventure and varied commerce, and the close contact + with an artistic and inventive folk, possessed of high culture and great + learning. The infusion of Celtic blood, however slight it may have been, + had also something to do with the swift intense feeling and rapidity of + passion of the earlier Icelandic poets. They are hot-headed and + hot-hearted, warm, impulsive, quick to quarrel or to love, faithful, + brave; ready with sword or song to battle with all comers, or to seek + adventure wheresoever it might be found. They leave Iceland young, and + wander at their will to different courts of northern Europe, where they + are always held in high honour. Gunnlaug Worm-tongue (12) in 1004 came to + England, after being in Norway, as the saga says:—"Now sail Gunnlaug + and his fellows into the English main, and come at autumntide south to + London Bridge, where they hauled ashore their ship. Now, at that time King + Ethelred, the son of Edgar, ruled over England, and was a good lord; the + winter he sat in London. But in those days there was the same tongue in + England as in Norway and Denmark; but the tongues changed when William the + Bastard won England, for thenceforward French went current there, for he + was of French kin. Gunnlaug went presently to the king, and greeted him + well and worthily. The king asked him from what land he came, and Gunnlaug + told him all as it was. 'But,' said he, 'I have come to meet thee, lord, + for that I have made a song on thee, and I would that it might please thee + to hearken to that song.' The king said it should be so, and Gunnlaug gave + forth the song well and proudly, and this is the burden thereof— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "'As God are all folk fearing + The fire lord King of England, + Kin of all kings and all folk, + To Ethelred the head bow.' +</pre> + <p> + The king thanked him for the song, and gave him as song-reward a scarlet + cloak lined with the costliest of furs, and golden-broidered down to the + hem; and made him his man; and Gunnlaug was with him all the winter, and + was well accounted of. + </p> + <p> + The poems in this volume are part of the wonderful fragments which are all + that remain of ancient Scandinavian poetry. Every piece which survives has + been garnered by Vigfusson and Powell in the volumes of their "Corpus", + where those who seek may find. A long and illustrious line of poets kept + the old traditions, down even to within a couple centuries, but the + earlier great harvest of song was never again equalled. After christianity + had entered Iceland, and that, with other causes, had quieted men's lives, + although the poetry which stood to the folk in lieu of music did not die + away, it lost the exclusive hold it had upon men's minds. In a time not so + stirring, when emotion was not so fervent or so swift, when there was less + to quicken the blood, the story that had before found no fit expression + but in verse, could stretch its limbs, as it were, and be told in prose. + Something of Irish influence is again felt in this new departure and that + marvellous new growth, the saga, that came from it, but is little more + than an influence. Every people find some one means of expression which + more than all else suits their mood or their powers, and this the + Icelanders found in the saga. This was the life of a hero told in prose, + but in set form, after a regular fashion that unconsciously complied with + all epical requirements but that of verse—simple plot, events in + order of time, set phrases for even the shifting emotion or changeful + fortune of a fight or storm, and careful avoidance of digression, comment, + or putting forward by the narrator of ought but the theme he has in hand; + he himself is never seen. Something in the perfection of the saga is to be + traced to the long winter's evenings, when the whole household, gathered + together at their spinning, weaving, and so on, would listen to one of + their number who told anew some old story of adventure or achievement. In + very truth the saga is a prose epic, and marked by every quality an epic + should possess. Growing up while the deeds of dead heroes were fresh in + memory, most often recited before the sharers in such deeds, the saga, in + its pure form, never goes from what is truth to its teller. Where the + saga, as this one of the Volsungs is founded upon the debris of songs and + poems, even then very old, tales of mythological heroes, of men quite + removed from the personal knowledge of the narrator, yet the story is so + inwound with the tradition of his race, is so much a part of his + thought-life, that every actor in it has for him a real existence. At the + feast or gathering, or by the fireside, as men made nets and women spun, + these tales were told over; in their frequent repetition by men who + believed them, though incident or sequence underwent no change, they would + become closer knit, more coherent, and each an organic whole. Gradually + they would take a regular and accepted form, which would ease the strain + upon the reciter's memory and leave his mind free to adorn the story with + fair devices, that again gave help in the making it easier to remember, + and thus aided in its preservation. After a couple of generations had + rounded and polished the sagas by their telling and retelling, they were + written down for the most part between 1141 and 1220, and so much was + their form impressed upon the mind of the folk, that when learned and + literary works appeared, they were written in the same style; hence we + have histories alike of kingdoms, or families, or miracles, lives of + saints, kings, or bishops in saga-form, as well as subjects that seem at + first sight even less hopeful. All sagas that have yet appeared in English + may be found in the book-list at end of this volume, but they are not a + tithe of those that remain. + </p> + <p> + Of all the stories kept in being by the saga-tellers and left for our + delight, there is none that so epitomises human experience; has within the + same space so much of nature and of life; so fully the temper and genius + of the Northern folk, as that of the Volsungs and Niblungs, which has in + varied shapes entered into the literature of many lands. In the beginning + there is no doubt that the story belonged to the common ancestral folk of + all the Teutonic of Scando-Gothic peoples in the earliest days of their + wanderings. Whether they came from the Hindu Kush, or originated in + Northern Europe, brought it with them from Asia, or evolved it among the + mountains and rivers it has taken for scenery, none know nor can; but each + branch of their descendants has it in one form or another, and as the + Icelanders were the very crown and flower of the northern folk, so also + the story which is the peculiar heritage of that folk received in their + hands its highest expression and most noble form. The oldest shape in + which we have it is in the Eddaic poems, some of which date from + unnumbered generations before the time to which most of them are usually + ascribed, the time of the viking-kingdoms in the Western Isles. In these + poems the only historical name is that of Attila, the great Hun leader, + who filled so large a part of the imagination of the people whose power he + had broken. There is no doubt that, in the days when the kingdoms of the + Scando-Goths reached from the North Cape to the Caspian, that some earlier + great king performed his part; but, after the striking career of Attila, + he became the recognised type of a powerful foreign potentate. All the + other actors are mythic-heroic. Of the Eddaic songs only fragments now + remain, but ere they perished there arose from them a saga, that now given + to the readers of this. The so-called Anglo-Saxons brought part of the + story to England in "Beowulf"; in which also appear some incidents that + are again given in the Icelandic saga of "Grettir the Strong". Most widely + known is the form taken by the story in the hands of an unknown medieval + German poet, who, from the broken ballads then surviving wrote the + "Nibelungenlied" or more properly "Nibelungen Not" ("The Need of the + Niblungs"). In this the characters are all renamed, some being more or + less historical actors in mid-European history, as Theodoric of the + East-Goths, for instance. The whole of the earlier part of the story has + disappeared, and though Siegfried (Sigurd) has slain a dragon, there is + nothing to connect it with the fate that follows the treasure; Andvari, + the Volsungs, Fafnir, and Regin are all forgotten; the mythological + features have become faint, and the general air of the whole is that of + medieval romance. The swoard Gram is replaced by Balmung, and the Helm of + Awing by the Tarn-cap—the former with no gain, the latter with great + loss. The curse of Andvari, which in the saga is grimly real, working + itself out with slow, sure steps that no power of god or man can turn + aside, in the medieval poem is but a mere scenic effect, a strain of + mystery and magic, that runs through the changes of the story with much + added picturesqueness, but that has no obvious relation to the working-out + of the plot, or fulfilment of their destiny by the different characters. + Brynhild loses a great deal, and is a poor creature when compared with + herself in the saga; Grimhild and her fateful drink have gone; Gudrun + (Chriemhild) is much more complex, but not more tragic; one new character, + Rudiger, appears as the type of chivalry; but Sigurd (Siegfred) the + central figure, though he has lost by the omission of so much of his life, + is, as before, the embodiment of all the virtues that were dear to + northern hearts. Brave, strong, generous, dignified, and utterly truthful, + he moves amid a tangle of tragic events, overmastered by a mighty fate, + and in life or death is still a hero without stain or flaw. It is no + wonder that he survives to this day in the national songs of the Faroe + Islands and in the folk-ballads of Denmark; that his legend should have + been mingled with northern history through Ragnar Lodbrog, or southern + through Attila and Theodoric; that it should have inspired William Morris + in producing the one great English epic of the century; (13) and Richard + Wagner in the mightiest among his music-dramas. Of the story as told in + the saga there is no need here to speak, for to read it, as may be done a + few pages farther on, is that not better than to read about it? But it may + be urged upon those that are pleased and moved by the passion and power, + the strength and deep truth of it, to find out more than they now know of + the folk among whom it grew, and the land in which they dwelt. In so doing + they will come to see how needful are a few lessons from the healthy life + and speech of those days, to be applied in the bettering of our own. + </p> + <p> + H. HALLIDAY SPARLING. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Viking (Ice. "Vikingr"; "vik", a bay or creek, "ingr", + belonging to, (or men of) freebooters. + (2) "West over the Sea" is the word for the British Isles. + (3) See Todd (J. H.). "War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill". + (4) He was son of Ingiald, son of Thora, daughter of Sigurd + Snake-I'-th'-eye, son of Ragnar Lodbrok by Aslaug, daughter + of Sigurd by Brynhild. The genealogy is, doubtless, quite + mythical. + (5) A Collection of Sagas and other Historical Documents + relating to the Settlements and Descents of the Northmen on + the British Isles. Ed., G. W. Dasent, D.C.L, and Gudbrand + Vigfusson, M.A. "In the Press. Longmans, London. 8vo. + (6) "Orkneyinga Saga". + (7) Landtaking-book—"landnam", landtaking, from "at nema + land", hence also the early settlers were called + "landnamsmenn". + (8) To all interested in the subject of comparative mythology, + Andrew Lang's two admirable books, "Custom and Myth" (1884, + 8vo) and "Myth, Ritual, and Religion" (2 vols., crown 8vo, + 1887), both published by Longmans, London, may be warmly + recommended. + (9) Iceland was granted full independence from Denmark in 1944. + —DBK. + (10) These pirates are always appearing about the same time in + English State papers as plundering along the coasts of the + British Isles, especially Ireland. + (11) For all the old Scandinavian poetry extant in Icelandic, see + "Corpus Poeticum Borealis" of Vigfusson and Powell. + (12) Snake-tongue—so called from his biting satire. + (13) "Sigurd the Volsung", which seems to have become all but + forgotten in this century.—DBK. +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. + </h2> + <p> + In offering to the reader this translation of the most complete and + dramatic form of the great Epic of the North, we lay no claim to special + critical insight, nor do we care to deal at all with vexed questions, but + are content to abide by existing authorities, doing our utmost to make our + rendering close and accurate, and, if it might be so, at the same time, + not over prosaic: it is to the lover of poetry and nature, rather than to + the student, that we appeal to enjoy and wonder at this great work, now + for the first time, strange to say, translated into English: this must be + our excuse for speaking here, as briefly as may be, of things that will + seem to the student over well known to be worth mentioning, but which may + give some ease to the general reader who comes across our book. + </p> + <p> + The prose of the "Volsunga Saga" was composed probably some time in the + twelfth century, from floating traditions no doubt; from songs which, now + lost, were then known, at least in fragments, to the Sagaman; and finally + from songs, which, written down about his time, are still existing: the + greater part of these last the reader will find in this book, some + inserted amongst the prose text by the original story-teller, and some by + the present translators, and the remainder in the latter part of the book, + put together as nearly as may be in the order of the story, and forming a + metrical version of the greater portion of it. + </p> + <p> + These Songs from the Elder Edda we will now briefly compare with the prose + of the Volsung Story, premising that these are the only metrical sources + existing of those from which the Sagaman told his tale. + </p> + <p> + Except for the short snatch on p. 24 (1) of our translation, nothing is + now left of these till we come to the episode of Helgi Hundings-bane, + Sigurd's half-brother; there are two songs left relating to this, from + which the prose is put together; to a certain extent they cover the same + ground; but the latter half of the second is, wisely as we think, left + untouched by the Sagaman, as its interest is of itself too great not to + encumber the progress of the main story; for the sake of its wonderful + beauty, however, we could not refrain from rendering it, and it will be + found first among the metrical translations that form the second part of + this book. + </p> + <p> + Of the next part of the Saga, the deaths of Sinfjotli and Sigmund, and the + journey of Queen Hjordis to the court of King Alf, there is no trace left + of any metrical origin; but we meet the Edda once more where Regin tells + the tale of his kin to Sigurd, and where Sigurd defeats and slays the sons + of Hunding: this lay is known as the "Lay of Regin". + </p> + <p> + The short chap. xvi. is abbreviated from a long poem called the "Prophecy + of Gripir" (the Grifir of the Saga), where the whole story to come is told + with some detail, and which certainly, if drawn out at length into the + prose, would have forestalled the interest of the tale. + </p> + <p> + In the slaying of the Dragon the Saga adheres very closely to the "Lay of + Fafnir"; for the insertion of the song of the birds to Sigurd the present + translators are responsible. + </p> + <p> + Then comes the waking of Brynhild, and her wise redes to Sigurd, taken + from the Lay of Sigrdrifa, the greater part of which, in its metrical + form, is inserted by the Sagaman into his prose; but the stanza relating + Brynhild's awaking we have inserted into the text; the latter part, + omitted in the prose, we have translated for the second part of our book. + </p> + <p> + Of Sigurd at Hlymdale, of Gudrun's dream, the magic potion of Grimhild, + the wedding of Sigurd consequent on that potion; of the wooing of Brynhild + for Gunnar, her marriage to him, of the quarrel of the Queens, the + brooding grief and wrath of Brynhild, and the interview of Sigurd with her—of + all this, the most dramatic and best-considered parts of the tale, there + is now no more left that retains its metrical form than the few snatches + preserved by the Sagaman, though many of the incidents are alluded to in + other poems. + </p> + <p> + Chap. xxx. is met by the poem called the "Short Lay of Sigurd", which, + fragmentary apparently at the beginning, gives us something of Brynhild's + awakening wrath and jealousy, the slaying of Sigurd, and the death of + Brynhild herself; this poem we have translated entire. + </p> + <p> + The Fragments of the "Lay of Brynhild" are what is left of a poem partly + covering the same ground as this last, but giving a different account of + Sigurd's slaying; it is very incomplete, though the Sagaman has drawn some + incidents from it; the reader will find it translated in our second part. + </p> + <p> + But before the death of the heroine we have inserted entire into the text + as chap. xxxi. the "First Lay of Gudrun", the most lyrical, the most + complete, and the most beautiful of all the Eddaic poems; a poem that any + age or language might count among its most precious possessions. + </p> + <p> + From this point to the end of the Saga it keeps closely to the Songs of + Edda; in chap. xxxii. the Sagaman has rendered into prose the "Ancient Lay + of Gudrun", except for the beginning, which gives again another account of + the death of Sigurd: this lay also we have translated. + </p> + <p> + The grand poem, called the "Hell-ride of Brynhild", is not represented + directly by anything in the prose except that the Sagaman has supplied + from it a link or two wanting in the "Lay of Sigrdrifa"; it will be found + translated in our second part. + </p> + <p> + The betrayal and slaughter of the Giukings or Niblungs, and the fearful + end of Atli and his sons, and court, are recounted in two lays, called the + "Lays of Atli"; the longest of these, the "Greenland Lay of Atli", is + followed closely by the Sagaman; the Shorter one we have translated. + </p> + <p> + The end of Gudrun, of her daughter by Sigurd and of her sons by her last + husband Jonakr, treated of in the last four chapters of the Saga, are very + grandly and poetically given in the songs called the "Whetting of Gudrun", + and the "Lay of Hamdir", which are also among our translations. + </p> + <p> + These are all the songs of the Edda which the Sagaman has dealt with; but + one other, the "Lament of Oddrun", we have translated on account of its + intrinsic merit. + </p> + <p> + As to the literary quality of this work we in say much, but we think we + may well trust the reader of poetic insight to break through whatever + entanglement of strange manners or unused element may at first trouble + him, and to meet the nature and beauty with which it is filled: we cannot + doubt that such a reader will be intensely touched by finding, amidst all + its wildness and remoteness, such a startling realism, such subtilty, such + close sympathy with all the passions that may move himself to-day. + </p> + <p> + In conclusion, we must again say how strange it seems to us, that this + Volsung Tale, which is in fact an unversified poem, should never before + been translated into English. For this is the Great Story of the North, + which should be to all our race what the Tale of Troy was to the Greeks—to + all our race first, and afterwards, when the change of the world has made + our race nothing more than a name of what has been—a story too—then + should it be to those that come after us no less than the Tale of Troy has + been to us. + </p> + <p> + WILLIAM MORRIS and EIRIKR MAGNUSSON. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Chapter viii.—DBK. +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h1> + THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS. + </h1> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER I. Of Sigi, the Son of Odin. + </h2> + <p> + Here begins the tale, and tells of a man who was named Sigi, and called of + men the son of Odin; another man withal is told of in the tale, hight + Skadi, a great man and mighty of his hands; yet was Sigi the mightier and + the higher of kin, according to the speech of men of that time. Now Skadi + had a thrall with whom the story must deal somewhat, Bredi by name, who + was called after that work which he had to do; in prowess and might of + hand he was equal to men who were held more worthy, yea, and better than + some thereof. + </p> + <p> + Now it is to be told that, on a time, Sigi fared to the hunting of the + deer, and the thrall with him; and they hunted deer day-long till the + evening; and when they gathered together their prey in the evening, lo, + greater and more by far was that which Bredi had slain than Sigi's prey; + and this thing he much misliked, and he said that great wonder it was that + a very thrall should out-do him in the hunting of deer: so he fell on him + and slew him, and buried the body of him thereafter in a snow-drift. + </p> + <p> + Then he went home at evening tide and says that Bredi had ridden away from + him into the wild-wood. "Soon was he out of my sight," he says, "and + naught more I wot of him." + </p> + <p> + Skadi misdoubted the tale of Sigi, and deemed that this was a guile of + his, and that he would have slain Bredi. So he sent men to seek for him, + and to such an end came their seeking, that they found him in a certain + snow-drift; then said Skadi, that men should call that snow-drift Bredi's + Drift from henceforth; and thereafter have folk followed, so that in such + wise they call every drift that is right great. + </p> + <p> + Thus it is well seen that Sigi has slain the thrall and murdered him; so + he is given forth to be a wolf in holy places, (1) and may no more abide + in the land with his father; therewith Odin bare him fellowship from the + land, so long a way, that right long it was, and made no stay till he + brought him to certain war-ships. So Sigi falls to lying out a-warring + with the strength that his father gave him or ever they parted; and happy + was he in his warring, and ever prevailed, till he brought it about that + he won by his wars land and lordship at the last; and thereupon he took to + him a noble wife, and became a great and mighty king, and ruled over the + land of the Huns, and was the greatest of warriors. He had a son by his + wife, who was called Refir, who grew up in his father's house, and soon + became great of growth, and shapely. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Wolf in holy places," a man put out of the pale of society + for crimes, an outlaw. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II. Of the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son of + Sigi. + </h2> + <p> + Now Sigi grew old, and had many to envy him, so that at last those turned + against him whom he trusted most; yea, even the brothers of his wife; for + these fell on him at his unwariest, when there were few with him to + withstand them, and brought so many against him, that they prevailed + against him, and there fell Sigi and all his folk with him. But Rerir, his + son, was not in this trouble, and he brought together so mighty a strength + of his friends and the great men of the land, that he got to himself both + the lands and kingdom of Sigi his father; and so now, when he deems that + the feet under him stand firm in his rule, then he calls to mind that + which he had against his mother's brothers, who had slain his father. So + the king gathers together a mighty army, and therewith falls on his + kinsmen, deeming that if he made their kinship of small account, yet none + the less they had first wrought evil against him. So he wrought his will + herein, in that he departed not from strife before he had slain all his + father's banesmen, though dreadful the deed seemed in every wise. So now + he gets land, lordship, and fee, and is become a mightier man than his + father before him. + </p> + <p> + Much wealth won in war gat Rerir to himself, and wedded a wife withal, + such as he deemed meet for him, and long they lived together, but had no + child to take the heritage after them; and ill-content they both were with + that, and prayed the Gods with heart and soul that they might get them a + child. And so it is said that Odin hears their prayer, and Freyia no less + hearkens wherewith they prayed unto her: so she, never lacking for all + good counsel, calls to her her casket-bearing may, (1) the daughter of + Hrimnir the giant, and sets an apple in her hand, and bids her bring it to + the king. She took the apple, and did on her the gear of a crow, and went + flying till she came whereas the king sat on a mound, and there she let + the apple fall into the lap of the king; but he took the apple, and deemed + he knew whereto it would avail; so he goes home from the mound to his own + folk, and came to the queen, and some deal of that apple she ate. + </p> + <p> + So, as the tale tells, the queen soon knew that she big with child, but a + long time wore or ever she might give birth to the child: so it befell + that the king must needs go to the wars, after the custom of kings, that + he may keep his own land in peace: and in this journey it came to pass + that Rerir fell sick and got his death, being minded to go home to Odin, a + thing much desired of many folk in those days. + </p> + <p> + Now no otherwise it goes with the queen's sickness than heretofore, nor + may she be the lighter of her child, and six winters wore away with the + sickness still heavy on her; so that at the last she feels that she may + not live long; wherefore now she bade cut the child from out of her; and + it was done even as she bade; a man-child was it, and great of growth from + his birth, as might well be; and they say that the youngling kissed his + mother or ever she died; but to him is a name given, and he is called + Volsung; and he was king over Hunland in the room of his father. From his + early years he was big and strong, and full of daring in all manly deeds + and trials, and he became the greatest of warriors, and of good hap in all + the battles of his warfaring. + </p> + <p> + Now when he was fully come to man's estate, Hrimnir the giant sends to him + Ljod his daughter; she of whom the tale told, that she brought the apple + to Rerir, Volsung's father. So Volsung weds her withal; and long they + abode together with good hap and great love. They had ten sons and one + daughter, and their eldest son was hight Sigmund, and their daughter + Signy; and these two were twins, and in all wise the foremost and the + fairest of the children of Volsung the king, and mighty, as all his seed + was; even as has been long told from ancient days, and in tales of long + ago, with the greatest fame of all men, how that the Volsungs have been + great men and high-minded and far above the most of men both in cunning + and in prowess and all things high and mighty. + </p> + <p> + So says the story that king Volsung let build a noble hall in such a wise, + that a big oak-tree stood therein, and that the limbs of the tree + blossomed fair out over the roof of the hall, while below stood the trunk + within it, and the said trunk did men call Branstock. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) May (A.S. "maeg"), a maid. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III. Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the + Branstock. + </h2> + <p> + There was a king called Siggeir, who ruled over Gothland, a mighty king + and of many folk; he went to meet Volsung, the king, and prayed him for + Signy his daughter to wife; and the king took his talk well, and his sons + withal, but she was loth thereto, yet she bade her father rule in this as + in all other things that concerned her; so the king took such rede (1) + that he gave her to him, and she was betrothed to King Siggeir; and for + the fulfilling of the feast and the wedding, was King Siggeir to come to + the house of King Volsung. The king got ready the feast according to his + best might, and when all things were ready, came the king's guests and + King Siggeir withal at the day appointed, and many a man of great account + had Siggeir with him. + </p> + <p> + The tale tells that great fires were made endlong the hall, and the great + tree aforesaid stood midmost thereof; withal folk say that, whenas men sat + by the fires in the evening, a certain man came into the hall unknown of + aspect to all men; and suchlike array he had, that over him was a spotted + cloak, and he was bare-foot, and had linen-breeches knit tight even unto + the bone, and he had a sword in his hand as he went up to the Branstock, + and a slouched hat upon his head: huge he was, and seeming-ancient, and + one-eyed. (2) So he drew his sword and smote it into the tree-trunk so + that it sank in up to the hilts; and all held back from greeting the man. + Then he took up the word, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Whoso draweth this sword from this stock, shall have the same as a gift + from me, and shall find in good sooth that never bare he better sword in + hand than is this." + </p> + <p> + Therewith out went the old man from the hall, and none knew who he was or + whither he went. + </p> + <p> + Now men stand up, and none would fain be the last to lay hand to the + sword, for they deemed that he would have the best of it who might first + touch it; so all the noblest went thereto first, and then the others, one + after other; but none who came thereto might avail to pull it out, for in + nowise would it come away howsoever they tugged at it; but now up comes + Sigmund, King Volsung's son, and sets hand to the sword, and pulls it from + the stock, even as if it lay loose before him; so good that weapon seemed + to all, that none thought he had seen such a sword before, and Siggeir + would fain buy it of him at thrice its weight of gold, but Sigmund said— + </p> + <p> + "Thou mightest have taken the sword no less than I from there whereas it + stood, if it had been thy lot to bear it; but now, since it has first of + all fallen into my hand, never shalt thou have it, though thou biddest + therefor all the gold thou hast." + </p> + <p> + King Siggeir grew wroth at these words, and deemed Sigmund had answered + him scornfully, but whereas was a wary man and a double-dealing, he made + as if he heeded this matter in nowise, yet that same evening he thought + how he might reward it, as was well seen afterwards. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Rede (A.S. raed), counsel, advice, a tale or prophecy. + (2) The man is Odin, who is always so represented, because he + gave his eye as a pledge for a draught from the fountain of + Mimir, the source of all wisdom. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV. How King Siggeir wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his + son to Gothland. + </h2> + <p> + Now it is to be told that Siggeir goes to bed by Signy that night, and the + next morning the weather was fair; then says King Siggeir that he will not + bide, lest the wind should wax, or the sea grow impassable; nor is it said + that Volsung or his sons letted him herein, and that the less, because + they saw that he was fain to get him gone from the feast. But now says + Signy to her father— + </p> + <p> + "I have no will to go away with Seggeir; neither does my heart smile upon + him, and I wot; by my fore-knowledge, and from the fetch (1) of our kin, + that from this counsel will great evil fall on us if this wedding be not + speedily undone." + </p> + <p> + "Speak in no such wise, daughter!" said he, "for great shame will it be to + him, yea, and to us also, to break troth with him, he being sackless; (2) + and in naught may we trust him, and no friendship shall we have of him, if + these matters are broken off; but he will pay us back in as evil wise as + he may; for that alone is seemly, to hold truly to troth given." + </p> + <p> + So King Siggeir got ready for home, and before he went from the feast he + bade King Volsung, his father-in-law, come see him in Gothland, and all + his sons with him, whenas three months should be overpast, and to bring + such following with him, as he would have; and as he deemed meet for his + honour; and thereby will Siggeir the king pay back for the shortcomings of + the wedding-feast, in that he would abide thereat but one night only, a + thing not according to the wont of men. So King Volsung gave word to come + on the day named, and the kinsmen-in-law parted, and Siggeir went home + with his wife. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Fetch; wraith, or familiar spirit. + (2) Sackless (A.S. "sacu", Icel. "sok".) blameless. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V. Of the Slaying of King Volsung. + </h2> + <p> + Now tells the tale of King Volsung and his sons that they go at the time + appointed to Gothland at the bidding of King Siggeir, and put off from the + land in three ships, all well manned, and have a fair voyage, and made + Gothland late of an evening tide. + </p> + <p> + But that same night came Signy and called her father and brothers to a + privy talk, and told them what she deemed King Siggeir was minded to do, + and how that he had drawn together an army no man may meet. "And," says + she, "he is minded to do guilefully by you; wherefore I bid you get ye + gone back again to your own land, and gather together the mightiest power + ye may, and then come back hither and avenge you; neither go ye now to + your undoing, for ye shall surely fail not to fall by his wiles if ye turn + not on him even as I bid you." + </p> + <p> + Then spake Volsung the king, "All people and nations shall tell of the + word I spake, yet being unborn, wherein I vowed a vow that I would flee in + fear from neither fire nor the sword; even so have I done hitherto, and + shall I depart therefrom now I am old? Yea withal never shall the maidens + mock these my sons at the games, and cry out at them that they fear death; + once alone must all men need die, and from that season shall none escape; + so my rede is that we flee nowhither, but do the work of our hands in as + manly wise as we may; a hundred fights have I fought, and whiles I had + more, and whiles I had less, and yet ever had I the victory, nor shall it + ever be heard tell of me that I fled away or prayed for peace." + </p> + <p> + Then Signy wept right sore, and prayed that she might not go back to King + Siggeir, but King Volsung answered— + </p> + <p> + "Thou shalt surely go back to thine husband, and abide with him, howsoever + it fares with us." + </p> + <p> + So Signy went home, and they abode there that night; but in the morning, + as soon as it was day, Volsung bade his men arise and go aland and make + them ready for battle; so they went aland, all of them all-armed, and had + not long to wait before Siggeir fell on them with all his army, and the + fiercest fight there was betwixt them; and Siggeir cried on his men to the + onset all he might; and so the tale tells that King Volsung and his sons + went eight times right through Siggeir's folk that day, smiting and hewing + on either hand, but when they would do so even once again, King Volsung + fell amidst his folk and all his men withal, saving his ten sons, for + mightier was the power against them than they might withstand. + </p> + <p> + But now are all his sons taken, and laid in bonds and led away; and Signy + was ware withal that her father was slain, and her brothers taken and + doomed to death; that she called King Siggeir apart to talk with her, and + said— + </p> + <p> + "This will I pray of thee, that thou let not slay my brothers hastily, but + let them be set awhile in the stocks, for home to me comes the saw that + says, "Sweet to eye while seen": but longer life I pray not for them, + because I wot well that my prayer will not avail me." + </p> + <p> + Then answered Siggeir: + </p> + <p> + "Surely thou art mad and witless, praying thus for more bale for thy + brothers than their present slaying; yet this will I grant thee, for the + better it likes me the more they must bear, and the longer their pain is + or ever death come to them." + </p> + <p> + Now he let it be done even as she prayed, and a mighty beam was brought + and set on the feet of those ten brethren in a certain place of the + wild-wood, and there they sit day-long until night; but at midnight, as + they sat in the stocks, there came on them a she-wolf from out the wood; + old she was, and both great and evil of aspect; and the first thing she + did was to bite one of those brethren till he died, and then she ate him + up withal, and went on her way. + </p> + <p> + But the next morning Signy sent a man to the brethren, even one whom she + most trusted, to wot of the tidings; and when he came back he told her + that one of them was dead, and great and grievous she deemed it, if they + should all fare in like wise, and yet naught might she avail them. + </p> + <p> + Soon is the tale told thereof: nine nights together came the she-wolf at + midnight, and each night slew and ate up one of the brethren, until all + were dead, save Sigmund only; so now, before the tenth night came, Signy + sent that trusty man to Sigmund, her brother, and gave honey into his + hand, bidding him do it over Sigmund's face, and set a little deal of it + in his mouth; so he went to Sigmund and did as he was bidden, and then + came home again; and so the next night came the she-wolf according to her + wont, and would slay him and eat him even as his brothers; but now she + sniffs the breeze from him, whereas he was anointed with the honey, and + licks his face all over with her tongue, and then thrusts her tongue into + the mouth of him. No fear he had thereof, but caught the she-wolf's tongue + betwixt his teeth, and so hard she started back thereat, and pulled + herself away so mightily, setting her feet against the stocks, that all + was riven asunder; but he ever held so fast that the tongue came away by + the roots, and thereof she had her bane. + </p> + <p> + But some men say that this same she-wolf was the mother of King Siggeir, + who had turned herself into this likeness by troll's lore and witchcraft. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VI. Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to Sigmund. + </h2> + <p> + Now whenas Sigmund is loosed and the stocks are broken, he dwells in the + woods and holds himself there; but Signy sends yet again to wot of the + tidings, whether Sigmund were alive or no; but when those who were sent + came to him, he told them all as it had betid, and how things had gone + betwixt him and the wolf; so they went home and tell Signy the tidings; + but she goes and finds her brother, and they take counsel in such wise as + to make a house underground in the wild-wood; and so things go on a while, + Signy hiding him there, and sending him such things as he needed; but King + Siggeir deemed that all the Volsungs were dead. + </p> + <p> + Now Siggeir had two sons by his wife, whereof it is told that when the + eldest was ten winters old, Signy sends him to Sigmund, so that he might + give him help, if he would in any wise strive to avenge his father; so the + youngling goes to the wood, and comes late in evening-tide to Sigmund's + earth-house; and Sigmund welcomed him in seemly fashion, and said that he + should make ready their bread; "But I," said he, "will go seek firewood." + </p> + <p> + Therewith he gives the meal-bag into his hands while he himself went to + fetch firing; but when he came back the youngling had done naught at the + bread-making. Then asks Sigmund if the bread be ready— + </p> + <p> + Says the youngling, "I durst not set hand to the meal sack, because + somewhat quick lay in the meal." + </p> + <p> + Now Sigmund deemed he wotted that the lad was of no such heart as that he + would be fain to have him for his fellow; and when he met his sister, + Sigmund said that he had come no nigher to the aid of a man though the + youngling were with him. + </p> + <p> + Then said Signy, "Take him and kill him then; for why should such an one + live longer?" and even so he did. + </p> + <p> + So this winter wears, and the next winter Signy sent her next son to + Sigmund; and there is no need to make a long tale thereof, for in like + wise went all things, and he slew the child by the counsel of Signy. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VII. Of the Birth of Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund. + </h2> + <p> + So on a tide it befell as Signy sat in her bower, that there came to her a + witch-wife exceeding cunning, and Signy talked with her in such wise, + "Fain am I," says she, "that we should change semblances together." + </p> + <p> + She says, "Even as thou wilt then." + </p> + <p> + And so by her wiles she brought it about that they changed semblances, and + now the witch-wife sits in Signy's place according to her rede, and goes + to bed by the king that night, and he knows not that he has other than + Signy beside him. + </p> + <p> + But the tale tells of Signy, that she fared to the earth-house of her + brother, and prayed him give her harbouring for the night; "For I have + gone astray abroad in the woods, and know not whither I am going." + </p> + <p> + So he said she might abide, and that he would not refuse harbour to one + lone woman, deeming that she would scarce pay back his good cheer by + tale-bearing: so she came into the house, and they sat down to meat, and + his eyes were often on her, and a goodly and fair woman she seemed to him; + but when they are full, then he says to her, that he is right fain that + they should have but one bed that night; she nowise turned away therefrom, + and so for three nights together he laid her in bed by him. + </p> + <p> + Thereafter she fared home, and found the witch-wife and bade her change + semblances again, and she did so. + </p> + <p> + Now as time wears, Signy brings forth a man-child, who was named + Sinfjotli, and when he grew up he was both big and strong, and fair of + face, and much like unto the kin of the Volsungs, and he was hardly yet + ten winters old when she sent him to Sigmund's earth-house; but this trial + she had made of her other sons or ever she had sent them to Sigmund, that + she had sewed gloves on to their hands through flesh and skin, and they + had borne it ill and cried out thereat; and this she now did to Sinfjotli, + and he changed countenance in nowise thereat. Then she flayed off the + kirtle so that the skin came off with the sleeves, and said that this + would be torment enough for him; but he said— + </p> + <p> + "Full little would Volsung have felt such a smart this." + </p> + <p> + So the lad came to Sigmund, and Sigmund bade him knead their meal up, + while he goes to fetch firing; so he gave him the meal-sack, and then went + after the wood, and by then he came back had Sinfjotli made an end of his + baking. Then asked Sigmund if he had found nothing in the meal. + </p> + <p> + "I misdoubted me that there was something quick in the meal when I first + fell to kneading of it, but I have kneaded it all up together, both the + meal and that which was therein, whatsoever it was." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigmund laughed out, he said— + </p> + <p> + "Naught wilt thou eat of this bread to-night, for the most deadly of worms + (1) hast thou kneaded up therewith." + </p> + <p> + Now Sigmund was so mighty a man that he might eat venom and have no hurt + therefrom; but Sinfjotli might abide whatso venom came on the outside of + him, but might neither eat nor drink thereof. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Serpents. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VIII. The Death of King Siggeir and of Signy. + </h2> + <p> + The tale tells that Sigmund thought Sinfjotli over young to help him to + his revenge, and will first of all harden him with manly deeds; so in + summer-tide they fare wide through the woods and slay men for their + wealth; Sigmund deems him to take much after the kin of the Volsungs, + though he thinks that he is Siggeir's son, and deems him to have the evil + heart of his father, with the might and daring of the Volsungs; withal he + must needs think him in no wise a kinsome man, for full oft would he bring + Sigmund's wrongs to his memory, and prick him on to slay King Siggeir. + </p> + <p> + Now on a time as they fare abroad in the wood for the getting of wealth, + they find a certain house, and two men with great gold rings asleep + therein: now these twain were spell-bound skin-changers, (1) and + wolf-skins were hanging up over them in the house; and every tenth day + might they come out of those skins; and they were kings' sons: so Sigmund + and Sinfjofli do the wolf-skins on them, and then might they nowise come + out of them, though forsooth the same nature went with them as heretofore; + they howled as wolves howl, but both knew the meaning of that howling; + they lay out in the wild-wood, and each went his way; and a word they made + betwixt them, that they should risk the onset of seven men, but no more, + and that he who was first to be set on should howl in wolfish wise: "Let + us not depart from this," says Sigmund, "for thou art young and over-bold, + and men will deem the quarry good, when they take thee." + </p> + <p> + Now each goes his way, and when they were parted, Sigmund meets certain + men, and gives forth a wolf's howl; and when Sinfjotli heard it, he went + straightway thereto, and slew them all, and once more they parted. But ere + Sinfjotli has fared long through the woods, eleven men meet him, and he + wrought in such wise that he slew them all, and was awearied therewith, + and crawls under an oak, and there takes his rest. Then came Sigmund + thither, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Why didst thou not call on me?" + </p> + <p> + Sinfjotli said, "I was loth to call for thy help for the slaying of eleven + men." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigmund rushed at him so hard that he staggered and fell, and Sigmund + bit him in the throat. Now that day they might not come out of their + wolf-skins: but Sigmund lays the other on his back, and bears him home to + the house, and cursed the wolf-gears and gave them to the trolls. Now on a + day he saw where two weasels went, and how that one bit the other in the + throat, and then ran straightway into the thicket, and took up a leaf and + laid it on the wound, and thereon his fellow sprang up quite and clean + whole; so Sigmund went out and saw a raven flying with a blade of that + same herb to him; so he took it and drew it over Sinfjotli's hurt, and he + straightway sprang up as whole as though he had never been hurt. + Thereafter they went home to their earth-house, and abode there till the + time came for them to put off the wolf-shapes; then they burnt them up + with fire, and prayed that no more hurt might come to any one from them; + but in that uncouth guise they wrought many famous deeds in the kingdom + and lordship of King Siggeir. + </p> + <p> + Now when Sinfjotli was come to man's estate, Sigmund deemed he had tried + him fully, and or ever a long time has gone by he turns his mind to the + avenging of his father, if so it may be brought about; so on a certain day + the twain get them gone from their earth-house, and come to the abode of + King Siggeir late in the evening, and go into the porch before the hall, + wherein were tuns of ale, and there they lie hid: now the queen is ware of + them, where they are, and is fain to meet them; and when they met they + took counsel, and were of one mind that Volsung should be revenged that + same night. + </p> + <p> + Now Signy and the king had two children of tender age, who played with a + golden toy on the floor, and bowled it along the pavement of the hall, + running along with it; but therewith a golden ring from off it trundles + away into the place where Sigmund and Sinfjotli lay, and off runs the + little one to search for the same, and beholds withal where two men are + sitting, big and grimly to look on, with overhanging helms and bright + white byrnies; (2) so he runs up the hall to his father, and tells him of + the sight he has seen, and thereat the king misdoubts of some guile + abiding him; but Signy heard their speech, and arose and took both the + children, and went out into the porch to them and said— + </p> + <p> + "Lo ye! These younglings have bewrayed you; come now therefore and slay + them!" + </p> + <p> + Sigmund says, "Never will I slay thy children for telling of where I lay + hid." + </p> + <p> + But Sinfjotli made little enow of it, but drew his sword and slew them + both, and cast them into the hall at King Siggeir's feet. + </p> + <p> + Then up stood the king and cried on his men to take those who had lain + privily in the porch through the night. So they ran thither and would lay + hands on them, but they stood on their defence well and manly, and long he + remembered it who was the nighest to them; but in the end they were borne + down by many men and taken, and bonds were set upon them, and they were + cast into fetters wherein they sit night long. + </p> + <p> + Then the king ponders what longest and worst of deaths he shall mete out + to them; and when morning came he let make a great barrow of stones and + turf; and when it was done, let set a great flat stone midmost inside + thereof, so that one edge was aloft, the other alow; and so great it was + that it went from wall to wall, so that none might pass it. + </p> + <p> + Now he bids folk take Sigmund and Sinfjotli and set them in the barrow, on + either side of the stone, for the worse for them he deemed it, that they + might hear each the other's speech, and yet that neither might pass one to + the other. But now, while they were covering in the barrow with the + turf-slips, thither came Signy, bearing straw with her, and cast it down + to Sinfjotli, and bade the thralls hide this thing from the king; they + said yea thereto, and therewithal was the barrow closed in. + </p> + <p> + But when night fell, Sinfjotli said to Sigmund, "Belike we shall scarce + need meat for a while, for here has the queen cast swine's flesh into the + barrow, and wrapped it round about on the outer side with straw." + </p> + <p> + Therewith he handles the flesh and finds that therein was thrust Sigmund's + sword; and he knew it by the hilts, as mirk as it might be in the barrow, + and tells Sigmund thereof, and of that were they both fain enow. + </p> + <p> + Now Sinfjotli drave the point of the sword up into the big stone, and drew + it hard along, and the sword bit on the stone. With that Sigmund caught + the sword by the point, and in this wise they sawed the stone between + them, and let not or all the sawing was done that need be done, even as + the song sings: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Sinfjotli sawed + And Sigmund sawed, + Atwain with main + The stone was done." +</pre> + <p> + Now are they both together loose in the barrow, and soon they cut both + through stone and through iron, and bring themselves out thereof. Then + they go home to the hall, whenas all men slept there, and bear wood to the + hall, and lay fire therein; and withal the folk therein are waked by the + smoke, and by the hall burning over their heads. + </p> + <p> + Then the king cries out, "Who kindled this fire, I burn withal?" + </p> + <p> + "Here am I," says Sigmund, "with Sinfjotli, my sister's son; and we are + minded that thou shalt wot well that all the Volsungs are not yet dead." + </p> + <p> + Then he bade his sister come out, and take all good things at his hands, + and great honour, and fair atonement in that wise, for all her griefs. + </p> + <p> + But she answered, "Take heed now, and consider, if I have kept King + Siggeir in memory, and his slaying of Volsung the king! I let slay both my + children, whom I deemed worthless for the revenging of our father, and I + went into the wood to thee in a witch-wife's shape; and now behold, + Sinfjotli is the son of thee and of me both! and therefore has he this so + great hardihood and fierceness, in that he is the son both of Volsung's + son and Volsung's daughter; and for this, and for naught else, have I so + wrought, that Siggeir might get his bane at last; and all these things + have I done that vengeance might fall on him, and that I too might not + live long; and merrily now will I die with King Siggeir, though I was + naught merry to wed him." + </p> + <p> + Therewith she kissed Sigmund her brother, and Sinfjotli, and went back + again into the fire, and there she died with King Siggeir and all his good + men. + </p> + <p> + But the two kinsmen gathered together folk and ships, and Sigmund went + back to his father's land, and drave away thence the king, who had set + himself down there in the room of king Volsung. + </p> + <p> + So Sigmund became a mighty King and far-famed, wise and high-minded: he + had to wife one named Borghild, and two sons they had between them, one + named Helgi and the other Hamund; and when Helgi was born, Norns came to + him, (3) and spake over him, and said that he should be in time to come + the most renowned of all kings. Even therewith was Sigmund come home from + the wars, and so therewith he gives him the name of Helgi, and these + matters as tokens thereof, Land of Rings, Sun-litten Hill, and + Sharp-shearing Sword, and withal prayed that he might grow of great fame, + and like unto the kin of the Volsungs. + </p> + <p> + And so it was that he grew up high-minded, and well-beloved, and above all + other men in all prowess; and the story tells that he went to the wars + when he was fifteen winters old. Helgi was lord and ruler over the army, + but Sinfjotli was gotten to be his fellow herein; and so the twain bare + sway thereover. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Skin-changers" were universally believed in once, in + Iceland no less than elsewhere, as see Ari in several places + of his history, especially the episode of Dufthach and + Storwolf o' Whale. Men possessing the power of becoming + wolves at intervals, in the present case compelled so to + become, wer-wolves or "loupsgarou", find large place in + medieval story, but were equally well-known in classic + times. Belief in them still lingers in parts of Europe + where wolves are to be found. Herodotus tells of the Neuri, + who assumed once a year the shape of wolves; Pliny says that + one of the family of Antaeus, chosen by lot annually, became + a wolf, and so remained for nine years; Giraldus Cambrensis + will have it that Irishmen may become wolves; and Nennius + asserts point-blank that "the descendants of wolves are + still in Ossory;" they retransform themselves into wolves + when they bite. Apuleius, Petronius, and Lucian have + similar stories. The Emperor Sigismund convoked a council + of theologians in the fifteenth century who decided that + wer-wolves did exist. + (2) Byrny (A.S. "byrne"), corslet, cuirass. + (3) "Norns came to him." Nornir are the fates of the northern + mythology. They are three—"Urd", the past; "Verdandi", + the present; and "Skuld", the future. They sit beside the + fountain of Urd ("Urdarbrunur"), which is below one of the + roots of "Yggdrasil", the world-tree, which tree their + office it is to nourish by sprinkling it with the waters of + the fountain. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IX. How Helgi, the son of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his Realm, + and wedded Sigrun. + </h2> + <p> + Now the tale tells that Helgi in his warring met a king hight Hunding, a + mighty king, and lord of many men and many lands; they fell to battle + together, and Helgi went forth mightily, and such was the end of that + fight that Helgi had the victory, but King Hunding fell and many of his + men with him; but Helgi is deemed to have grown greatly in fame because he + had slain so mighty a king. + </p> + <p> + Then the sons of Hunding draw together a great army to avenge their + father. Hard was the fight betwixt them; but Helgi goes through the folk + of those brothers unto their banner, and there slays these sons of + Hunding, Alf and Eyolf, Herward and Hagbard, and wins there a great + victory. + </p> + <p> + Now as Helgi fared from the fight, he met a many women right fair and + worthy to look on, who rode in exceeding noble array; but one far excelled + them all; then Helgi asked them the name of that their lady and queen, and + she named herself Sigrun, and said she was daughter of King Hogni. + </p> + <p> + Then said Helgi, "Fare home with us: good welcome shall ye have!" + </p> + <p> + Then said the king's daughter, "Other work lies before us than to drink + with thee." + </p> + <p> + "Yea, and what work, king's daughter?" said Helgi. + </p> + <p> + She answers, "King Hogni has promised me to Hodbrod, the son of King + Granmar, but I have vowed a vow that I will have him to my husband no more + than if he were a crow's son and not a king's; and yet will the thing come + to pass, but and if thou standest in the way thereof, and goest against + him with an army, and takest me away withal; for verily with no king would + I rather bide on bolster than with thee." + </p> + <p> + "Be of good cheer, king's daughter," says he, "for certes he and I shall + try the matter, or ever thou be given to him; yea, we shall behold which + may prevail against the other; and hereto I pledge my life." + </p> + <p> + Thereafter, Helgi sent men with money in their hands to summon his folk to + him, and all his power is called together to Red-Berg: and there Helgi + abode till such time as a great company came to him from Hedinsey; and + therewithal came mighty power from Norvi Sound aboard great and fair + ships. Then King Helgi called to him the captain of his ships, who was + hight Leif, and asked him if he had told over the tale of his army. + </p> + <p> + "A thing not easy to tell, lord," says he, "on the ships that came out of + Norvi Sound are twelve thousand men, and otherwhere are half as many + again." + </p> + <p> + Then bade King Helgi turn into the firth, called Varin's firth, and they + did so: but now there fell on them so fierce a storm and so huge a sea, + that the beat of the waves on board and bow was to hearken to like as the + clashing together of high hills broken. + </p> + <p> + But Helgi bade men fear naught, nor take in any sail, but rather hoist + every rag higher than heretofore; but little did they miss of foundering + or ever they made land; then came Sigrun, daughter of King Hogni, down on + to the beach with a great army, and turned them away thence to a good + haven called Gnipalund; but the landsmen see what has befallen and come + down to the sea-shore. The brother of King Hodbrod, lord of a land called + Swarin's Cairn, cried out to them, and asked them who was captain over + that mighty army. Then up stands Sinfjotli, with a helm on his head, + bright shining as glass, and a byrny as white as snow; a spear in his + hand, and thereon a banner of renown, and a gold-rimmed shield hanging + before him; and well he knew with what words to speak to kings— + </p> + <p> + "Go thou and say, when thou hast made an end of feeding thy swine and thy + dogs, and when thou beholdest thy wife again, that here are come the + Volsungs, and in this company may King Helgi be found, if Hodbrod be fain + of finding him, for his game and his joy it is to fight and win fame, + while thou art kissing the handmaids by the fire-side." + </p> + <p> + Then answered Granmar, "In nowise knowest thou how to speak seemly things, + and to tell of matters remembered from of old, whereas thou layest lies on + chiefs and lords; most like it is that thou must have long been nourished + with wolf-meat abroad in the wild-woods, and has slain thy brethren; and a + marvel it is to behold that thou darest to join thyself to the company of + good men and true, thou, who hast sucked the blood of many a cold corpse." + </p> + <p> + Sinfjotli answered, "Dim belike is grown thy memory now, of how thou wert + a witch-wife on Varinsey, and wouldst fain have a man to thee, and chose + me to that same office of all the world; and how thereafter thou wert a + Valkyria (1) in Asgarth, and it well-nigh came to this, that for thy sweet + sake should all men fight; and nine wolf whelps I begat on thy body in + Lowness, and was the father to them all." + </p> + <p> + Granmar answers, "Great skill of lying hast thou; yet belike the father of + naught at all mayst thou be, since thou wert gelded by the giant's + daughters of Thrasness; and lo thou art the stepson of King Siggeir, and + were wont to lie abroad in wilds and woods with the kin of wolves; and + unlucky was the hand wherewith thou slewest thy brethren, making for + thyself an exceeding evil name." + </p> + <p> + Said Sinfjotli, "Mindest thou not then, when thou were stallion Grani's + mare, and how I rode thee an amble on Bravoll, and that afterwards thou + wert giant Golnir's goat-herd?" + </p> + <p> + Granmar says, "Rather would I feed fowls with the flesh of thee than + wrangle any longer with thee." + </p> + <p> + Then spake King Helgi, "Better were it for ye, and a more manly deed, to + fight, rather than to speak such things as it is a shame even to hearken + to; Granmar's sons are no friends of me and of mine, yet are they hardy + men none the less." + </p> + <p> + So Granmar rode away to meet King Hodbrod, at a stead called Sunfells, and + the horses of the twain were named Sveipud and Sveggjud. The brothers met + in the castle-porch, and Granmar told Hodbrod of the war-news. King + Hodbrod was clad in a byrny, and had his helm on his head; he asked— + </p> + <p> + "What men are anigh, why look ye so wrathful?" + </p> + <p> + Granmar says, "Here are come the Volsungs, and twelve thousand men of them + are afloat off the coast, and seven thousand are at the island called Sok, + but at the stead called Grindur is the greatest company of all, and now I + deem withal that Helgi and his fellowship have good will to give battle." + </p> + <p> + Then said the king, "Let us send a message through all our realm, and go + against them, neither let any who is fain of fight sit idle at home; let + us send word to the sons of Ring, and to King Hogni, and to Alf the Old, + for they are mighty warriors." + </p> + <p> + So the hosts met at Wolfstone, and fierce fight befell there; Helgi rushed + forth through the host of his foes, and many a man fell there; at last + folk saw a great company of shield-maidens, like burning flames to look + on, and there was come Sigrun, the king's daughter. Then King Helgi fell + on King Hodbrod, and smote him, and slew him even under his very banner; + and Sigrun cried out— + </p> + <p> + "Have thou thanks for thy so manly deed! now shall we share the land + between us, and a day of great good hap this is to me, and for this deed + shalt thou get honour and renown, in that thou hast felled to earth so + mighty a king." + </p> + <p> + So Helgi took to him that realm and dwelt there long, when he had wedded + Sigrun, and became a king of great honour and renown, though he has naught + more to do with this story. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Valkyrja, "Chooser of the elected." The women were so + called whom Odin sent to choose those for death in battle + who were to join the "Einherjar" in the hall of the elected, + "Val-holl." +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER X. The ending of Sinfjotli, Sigmund's Son. + </h2> + <p> + Now the Volsungs fare back home, and have gained great renown by these + deeds. But Sinfjotli betook himself to warfare anew; and therewith he had + sight of an exceeding fair woman, and yearned above all things for her; + but that same woman was wooed also of the brother of Borghild, the king's + wife: and this matter they fought out betwixt them, and Sinfjotli slew + that king; and thereafter he harried far and wide, and had many a battle + and even gained the day; and he became hereby honoured and renowned above + all men; but in autumn tide he came home with many ships and abundant + wealth. + </p> + <p> + Then he told his tidings to the king his father, and he again to the + queen, and she for her part bids him get him gone from the realm, and made + as if she would in nowise see him. But Sigmund said he would not drive him + away, and offered her atonement of gold and great wealth for her brother's + life, albeit he said he had never erst given weregild (1) to any for the + slaying of a man, but no fame it was to uphold wrong against a woman. + </p> + <p> + So seeing she might not get her own way herein, she said, "Have thy will + in this matter, O my lord, for it is seemly so to be." + </p> + <p> + And now she holds the funeral feast for her brother by the aid and counsel + of the king, and makes ready all things therefor or in the best of wise, + and bade thither many great men. + </p> + <p> + At that feast, Borghild the queen bare the drink to folk, and she came + over against Sinfjofli with a great horn, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Fall to now and drink, fair stepson!" + </p> + <p> + Then he took the horn to him, and looked therein, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Nay, for the drink is charmed drink" + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigmund, "Give it unto me then;" and therewith he took the horn + and drank it off. + </p> + <p> + But the queen said to Sinfjotli, "Why must other men needs drink thine ale + for thee?" And she came again the second time with the horn, and said, + "Come now and drink!" and goaded him with many words. + </p> + <p> + And he took the horn, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Guile is in the drink." + </p> + <p> + And thereon, Sigmund cried out— + </p> + <p> + "Give it then unto me!" + </p> + <p> + Again, the third time, she came to him, and bade him drink off his drink, + if he had the heart of a Volsung; then he laid hand on the horn, but said— + </p> + <p> + "Venom is therein." + </p> + <p> + "Nay, let the lip strain it out then, O son," quoth Sigmund; and by then + was he exceeding drunk with drink, and therefore spake he in that wise. + </p> + <p> + So Sinfjotli drank, and straightway fell down dead to the ground. + </p> + <p> + Sigmund rose up, and sorrowed nigh to death over him; then he took the + corpse in his arms and fared away to the wood, and went till he came to a + certain firth; and there he saw a man in a little boat; and that man asked + if he would be wafted by him over the firth, and he said yea thereto; but + so little was the boat, that they might not all go in it at once, so the + corpse was first laid therein, while Sigmund went by the firth-side. But + therewith the boat and the man therein vanished away from before Sigmund's + eyes. (2) + </p> + <p> + So thereafter Sigmund turned back home, and drave away the queen, and a + little after she died. But Sigmund the king yet ruled his realm, and is + deemed ever the greatest champion and king of the old law. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Weregild, fine for man-slaying ("wer", man, and "gild", a + payment). + (2) The man in the boat is Odin, doubtless. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XI. Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his + Sword again. + </h2> + <p> + There was a king called Eylimi, mighty and of great fame, and his daughter + was called Hjordis, the fairest and wisest of womankind; and Sigmund hears + it told of her that she was meet to be his wife, yea if none else were. So + he goes to the house of King Eylimi, who would make a great feast for him, + if so be he comes not thither in the guise of a foe. So messages were sent + from one to the other that this present journey was a peaceful one, and + not for war; so the feast was held in the best of wise and with many a man + thereat; fairs were in every place established for King Sigmund, and all + things else were done to the aid and comfort of his journey: so he came to + the feast, and both kings hold their state in one hall; thither also was + come King Lyngi, son of King Hunding, and he also is a-wooing the daughter + of King Eylimi. + </p> + <p> + Now the king deemed he knew that the twain had come thither but for one + errand, and thought withal that war and trouble might be looked for from + the hands of him who brought not his end about; so he spake to his + daughter, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Thou art a wise woman, and I have spoken it, that thou alone shalt choose + a husband for thyself; choose therefore between these two kings, and my + rede shall be even as thine." + </p> + <p> + "A hard and troublous matter," says she; "yet will I choose him who is of + greatest fame, King Sigmund to wife, albeit he is well stricken in years." + </p> + <p> + So to him was she betrothed, and King Lyngi gat him gone. Then was Sigmund + wedded to Hjordis, and now each day was the feast better and more glorious + than on the day before it. But thereafter Sigmund went back home to + Hunland, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, with him, and King Sigmund + betakes himself to the due ruling of his realm. + </p> + <p> + But King Lyngi and his brethren gather an army together to fall on + Sigmund, for as in all matters they were wont to have the worser lot, so + did this bite the sorest of all; and they would fain prevail over the + might and pride of the Volsungs. So they came to Hunland, and sent King + Sigmund word how that they would not steal upon him, and that they deemed + he would scarce slink away from them. So Sigmund said he would come and + meet them in battle, and drew his power together; but Hjordis was borne + into the wood with a certain bondmaid, and mighty wealth went with them; + and there she abode the while they fought. + </p> + <p> + Now the vikings rushed from their ships in numbers not to be borne up + against, but Sigmund the King, and Eylimi, set up their banners, and the + horns blew up to battle; but King Sigmund let blow the horn his father + erst had had, and cheered on his men to the fight, but his army was far + the fewest. + </p> + <p> + Now was that battle fierce and fell, and though Sigmund were old, yet most + hardily he fought, and was ever the foremost of his men; no shield or + byrny might hold against him, and he went ever through the ranks of his + foemen on that day, and no man might see how things would fare between + them; many an arrow and many a spear was aloft in air that day, and so his + spae-wrights wrought for him that he got no wound, and none can tell over + the tale of those who fell before him, and both his arms were red with + blood, even to the shoulders. + </p> + <p> + But now whenas the battle had dured a while, there came a man into the + fight clad in a blue cloak, and with a slouched hat on his head, one-eyed + he was, (1) and bare a bill in his hand; and he came against Sigmund the + King, and have up his bill against him, and as Sigmund smote fiercely with + the sword it fell upon the bill and burst asunder in the midst: + thenceforth the slaughter and dismay turned to his side, for the good-hap + of King Sigmund had departed from him, and his men fell fast about him; + naught did the king spare himself, but the rather cheered on his men; but + even as the saw says, "No might 'gainst many", so was it now proven; and + in this fight fell Sigmund the King, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, + in the fore-front of their battle, and therewith the more part of their + folk. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin coming to change the ownership of the sword he had + given Sigmund. See Chapter 3. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XII. Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King + Alf. + </h2> + <p> + Now King Lyngi made for the king's abode, and was minded to take the + king's daughter there, but failed herein, for there he found neither wife + nor wealth: so he fared through all the realm, and gave his men rule + thereover, and now deemed that he had slain all the kin of the Volsungs, + and that he need dread them no more from henceforth. + </p> + <p> + Now Hjordis went amidst the slain that night of the battle, and came + whereas lay King Sigmund, and asked if he might be healed; but he answered— + </p> + <p> + "Many a man lives after hope has grown little; but my good-hap has + departed from me, nor will I suffer myself to be healed, nor wills Odin + that I should ever draw sword again, since this my sword and his is + broken; lo now, I have waged war while it was his will." + </p> + <p> + "Naught ill would I deem matters," said she, "if thou mightest be healed + and avenge my father." + </p> + <p> + The king said, "That is fated for another man; behold now, thou art great + with a man-child; nourish him well and with good heed, and the child shall + be the noblest and most famed of all our kin: and keep well withal the + shards of the sword: thereof shall a goodly sword be made, and it shall be + called Gram, and our son shall bear it, and shall work many a great work + therewith, even such as eld shall never minish; for his name shall abide + and flourish as long as the world shall endure: and let this be enow for + thee. But now I grow weary with my wounds, and I will go see our kin that + have gone before me." + </p> + <p> + So Hjordis sat over him till he died at the day-dawning; and then she + looked, and behold, there came many ships sailing to the land: then she + spake to the handmaid— + </p> + <p> + "Let us now change raiment, and be thou called by my name, and say that + thou art the king's daughter." + </p> + <p> + And thus they did; but now the vikings behold the great slaughter of men + there, and see where two women fare away thence into the wood; and they + deem that some great tidings must have befallen, and they leaped ashore + from out their ships. Now the captain of these folks was Alf, son of + Hjalprek, king of Denmark, who was sailing with his power along the land. + So they came into the field among the slain, and saw how many men lay dead + there; then the king bade go seek for the women and bring them thither, + and they did so. He asked them what women they were; and, little as the + thing seems like to be, the bondmaid answered for the twain, telling of + the fall of King Sigmund and King Eylimi, and many another great man, and + who they were withal who had wrought the deed. Then the king asks if they + wotted where the wealth of the king was bestowed; and then says the + bondmaid— + </p> + <p> + "It may well be deemed that we know full surely thereof." + </p> + <p> + And therewith she guides them to the place where the treasure lay: and + there they found exceeding great wealth; so that men deem they have never + seen so many things of price heaped up together in one place. All this + they bore to the ships of King Alf, and Hjordis and the bondmaid went with + them. Therewith these sail away to their own realm, and talk how that + surely on that field had fallen the most renowned of kings. + </p> + <p> + So the king sits by the tiller, but the women abide in the forecastle; but + talk he had with the women and held their counsels of much account. + </p> + <p> + In such wise the king came home to his realm with great wealth, and he + himself was a man exceeding goodly to look on. But when he had been but a + little while at home, the queen, his mother, asked him why the fairest of + the two women had the fewer rings and the less worthy attire. + </p> + <p> + "I deem," she said, "that she whom ye have held of least account is the + noblest of the twain." + </p> + <p> + He answered: "I too have misdoubted me, that she is little like a + bondwoman, and when we first met, in seemly wise she greeted noble men. Lo + now, we will make a trial of the thing." + </p> + <p> + So on a time as men sat at the drink, the king sat down to talk with the + women, and said:— + </p> + <p> + "In what wise do ye note the wearing of the hours, whenas night grows old, + if ye may not see the lights of heaven?" + </p> + <p> + Then says the bondwoman, "This sign have I, that whenas in my youth I was + wont to drink much in the dawn, so now when I no longer use that manner, I + am yet wont to wake up at that very same tide, and by that token do I know + thereof." + </p> + <p> + Then the king laughed and said, "Ill manners for a king's daughter!" And + therewith he turned to Hjordis, and asked her even the same question; but + she answered— + </p> + <p> + "My father erst gave me a little gold ring of such nature, that it groweth + cold on my finger in the day-dawning; and that is the sign that I have to + know thereof." + </p> + <p> + The king answered: "Enow of gold there, where a very bondmaid bore it! But + come now, thou hast been long enow hid from me; yet if thou hadst told me + all from the beginning, I would have done to thee as though we had both + been one king's children: but better than thy deeds will I deal with thee, + for thou shalt be my wife, and due jointure will I pay thee whenas thou + hast borne me a child." + </p> + <p> + She spake therewith and told out the whole truth about herself: so there + was she held in great honour, and deemed the worthiest of women. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIII. Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + </h2> + <p> + The tale tells that Hjordis brought forth a man-child, who was straightly + borne before King Hjalprek, and then was the king glad thereof, when he + saw the keen eyes in the head of him, and he said that few men would be + equal to him or like unto him in any wise. So he was sprinkled with water, + and had to name Sigurd, of whom all men speak with one speech and say that + none was ever his like for growth and goodliness. He was brought up in the + house of King Hjalprek in great love and honour; and so it is, that whenso + all the noblest men and greatest kings are named in the olden tales, + Sigurd is ever put before them all, for might and prowess, for high mind + and stout heart, wherewith he was far more abundantly gifted than any man + of the northern parts of the wide world. + </p> + <p> + So Sigurd waxed in King Hjalprek's house, and there was no child but loved + him; through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and jointure meted to + her. + </p> + <p> + Now Sigurd's foster-father was hight Regin, the son of Hreidmar; he taught + him all manner of arts, the chess play, and the lore of runes, and the + talking of many tongues, even as the wont was with kings' sons in those + days. But on a day when they were together, Regin asked Sigurd, if he knew + how much wealth his father had owned, and who had the ward thereof; Sigurd + answered, and said that the kings kept the ward thereof. + </p> + <p> + Said Regin, "Dost thou trust them all utterly?" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "It is seemly that they keep it till I may do somewhat + therewith, for better they wot how to guard it than I do." + </p> + <p> + Another time came Regin to talk to Sigurd, and said— + </p> + <p> + "A marvellous thing truly that thou must needs be a horse-boy to the + kings, and go about like a running knave." + </p> + <p> + "Nay," said Sigurd, "it is not so, for in all things I have my will, and + whatso thing I desire is granted me with good will." + </p> + <p> + "Well, then," said Regin, "ask for a horse of them." + </p> + <p> + "Yea," quoth Sigurd, "and that shall I have, whenso I have need thereof." + </p> + <p> + Thereafter Sigurd went to the king, and the king said— + </p> + <p> + "What wilt thou have of us?" + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "I would even a horse of thee for my disport." + </p> + <p> + Then said the king, "Choose for thyself a horse, and whatso thing else + thou desirest among my matters." + </p> + <p> + So the next day went Sigurd to the wood, and met on the way an old man, + long-bearded, that he knew not, who asked him whither away. + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "I am minded to choose me a horse; come thou, and counsel me + thereon." + </p> + <p> + "Well then," said he, "go we and drive them to the river which is called + Busil-tarn." + </p> + <p> + They did so, and drave the horses down into the deeps of the river, and + all swam back to land but one horse; and that horse Sigurd chose for + himself; grey he was of hue, and young of years, great of growth, and fair + to look on, nor had any man yet crossed his back. + </p> + <p> + Then spake the grey-beard, "From Sleipnir's kin is this horse come, and he + must be nourished heedfully, for it will be the best of all horses;" and + therewithal he vanished away. + </p> + <p> + So Sigurd called the horse Grani, the best of all the horses of the world; + nor was the man he met other than Odin himself. + </p> + <p> + Now yet again spake Regin to Sigurd, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Not enough is thy wealth, and I grieve right sore that thou must needs + run here and there like a churl's son; but I can tell thee where there is + much wealth for the winning, and great name and honour to be won in the + getting of it." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd asked where that might be, and who had watch and ward over it. + </p> + <p> + Regin answered, "Fafnir is his name, and but a little way hence he lies, + on the waste of Gnita-heath; and when thou comest there thou mayst well + say that thou hast never seen more gold heaped together in one place, and + that none might desire more treasure, though he were the most ancient and + famed of all kings." + </p> + <p> + "Young am I," says Sigurd, "yet know I the fashion of this worm, and how + that none durst go against him, so huge and evil is he." + </p> + <p> + Regin said, "Nay it is not so, the fashion and the growth of him is even + as of other lingworms, (1) and an over great tale men make of it; and even + so would thy forefathers have deemed; but thou, though thou be of the kin + of the Volsungs, shalt scarce have the heart and mind of those, who are + told of as the first in all deeds of fame." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "Yea, belike I have little of their hardihood and prowess, + but thou hast naught to do, to lay a coward's name upon me, when I am + scarce out of my childish years. Why dost thou egg me on hereto so + busily?" + </p> + <p> + Regin said, "Therein lies a tale which I must needs tell thee." + </p> + <p> + "Let me hear the same," said Sigurd. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lingworm—longworm, dragon. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIV. Regin's tale of his Brothers, and of the Gold called + Andvari's Hoard. + </h2> + <p> + "The tale begins," said Regin. "Hreidmar was my father's name, a mighty + man and a wealthy: and his first son was named Fafnir, his second Otter, + and I was the third, and the least of them all both for prowess and good + conditions, but I was cunning to work in iron, and silver, and gold, + whereof I could make matters that availed somewhat. Other skill my brother + Otter followed, and had another nature withal, for he was a great fisher, + and above other men herein; in that he had the likeness of an otter by + day, and dwelt ever in the river, and bare fish to bank in his mouth, and + his prey would he ever bring to our father, and that availed him much: for + the most part he kept him in his otter-gear, and then he would come home, + and eat alone, and slumbering, for on the dry land he might see naught. + But Fafnir was by far the greatest and grimmest, and would have all things + about called his. + </p> + <p> + "Now," says Regin, "there was a dwarf called Andvari, who ever abode in + that force, (1) which was called Andvari's force, in the likeness of a + pike, and got meat for himself, for many fish there were in the force; now + Otter, my brother, was ever wont to enter into the force, and bring fish + aland, and lay them one by one on the bank. And so it befell that Odin, + Loki, and Hoenir, as they went their ways, came to Andvari's force, and + Otter had taken a salmon, and ate it slumbering upon the river bank; then + Loki took a stone and cast it at Otter, so that he gat his death thereby; + the gods were well content with their prey, and fell to flaying off the + otter's skin; and in the evening they came to Hreidmar's house, and showed + him what they had taken: thereon he laid hands on them, and doomed them to + such ransom, as that they should fill the otter skin with gold, and cover + it over without with red gold; so they sent Loki to gather gold together + for them; he came to Ran, (2) and got her net, and went therewith to + Andvari's force, and cast the net before the pike, and the pike ran into + the net and was taken. Then said Loki— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "'What fish of all fishes, + Swims strong in the flood, + But hath learnt little wit to beware? + Thine head must thou buy, + From abiding in hell, + And find me the wan waters flame.' +</pre> + <p> + He answered— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "'Andvari folk call me, + Call Oinn my father, + Over many a force have I fared; + For a Norn of ill-luck, + This life on me lay + Through wet ways ever to wade.' +</pre> + <p> + "So Loki beheld the gold of Andvari, and when he had given up the gold, he + had but one ring left, and that also Loki took from him; then the dwarf + went into a hollow of the rocks, and cried out, that that gold-ring, yea + and all the gold withal, should be the bane of every man who should own it + thereafter. + </p> + <p> + "Now the gods rode with the treasure to Hreidmar, and fulfilled the + otter-skin, and set it on its feet, and they must cover it over utterly + with gold: but when this was done then Hreidmar came forth, and beheld yet + one of the muzzle hairs, and bade them cover that withal; then Odin drew + the ring, Andvari's loom, from his hand, and covered up the hair + therewith; then sang Loki— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "'Gold enow, gold enow, + A great weregild, thou hast, + That my head in good hap I may hold; + But thou and thy son + Are naught fated to thrive, + The bane shall it be of you both.' +</pre> + <p> + "Thereafter," says Regin, "Fafnir slew his father and murdered him, nor + got I aught of the treasure, and so evil he grew, that he fell to lying + abroad, and begrudged any share in the wealth to any man, and so became + the worst of all worms, and ever now lies brooding upon that treasure: but + for me, I went to the king and became his master-smith; and thus is the + tale told of how I lost the heritage of my father, and the weregild for my + brother." + </p> + <p> + So spake Regin; but since that time gold is called Ottergild, and for no + other cause than this. + </p> + <p> + But Sigurd answered, "Much hast thou lost, and exceeding evil have thy + kinsmen been! But now, make a sword by thy craft, such a sword as that + none can be made like unto it; so that I may do great deeds therewith, if + my heart avail thereto, and thou wouldst have me slay this mighty dragon." + </p> + <p> + Regin says, "Trust me well herein; and with that same sword shalt thou + slay Fafnir." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Waterfall (Ice. "foss", "fors"). + (2) Ran is the goddess of the sea, wife of Aegir. The otter was + held sacred by Norsefolk and figures in the myth and legend + of most races besides; to this day its killing is held a + great crime by the Parsees (Haug. "Religion of the Parsees", + page 212). Compare penalty above with that for killing the + Welsh king's cat ("Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales". + Ed., Aneurin Owen. Longman, London, 1841, 2 vols. 8vo). +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XV. Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sword Gram. + </h2> + <h3> + So Regin makes a sword, and gives it into Sigurd's hands. He took the + sword, and said— + </h3> + <p> + "Behold thy smithying, Regin!" and therewith smote it into the anvil, and + the sword brake; so he cast down the brand, and bade him forge a better. + </p> + <p> + Then Regin forged another sword, and brought it to Sigurd, who looked + thereon. + </p> + <p> + Then said Regin, "Belike thou art well content therewith, hard master + though thou be in smithying." + </p> + <p> + So Sigurd proved the sword, and brake it even as the first; then he said + to Regin— + </p> + <p> + "Ah, art thou, mayhappen, a traitor and a liar like to those former kin of + thine?" + </p> + <p> + Therewith he went to his mother, and she welcomed him in seemly wise, and + they talked and drank together. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Sigurd, "Have I heard aright, that King Sigmund gave thee the + good sword Gram in two pieces?" + </p> + <p> + "True enough," she said. + </p> + <p> + So Sigurd said, "Deliver them into my hands, for I would have them." + </p> + <p> + She said he looked like to win great fame, and gave him the sword. + Therewith went Sigurd to Regin, and bade him make a good sword thereof as + he best might; Regin grew wroth thereat, but went into the smithy with the + pieces of the sword, thinking well meanwhile that Sigurd pushed his head + far enow into the matter of smithying. So he made a sword, and as he bore + it forth from the forge, it seemed to the smiths as though fire burned + along the edges thereof. Now he bade Sigurd take the sword, and said he + knew not how to make a sword if this one failed. Then Sigurd smote it into + the anvil, and cleft it down to the stock thereof, and neither burst the + sword nor brake it. Then he praised the sword much, and thereafter went to + the river with a lock of wool, and threw it up against the stream, and it + fell asunder when it met the sword. Then was Sigurd glad, and went home. + </p> + <p> + But Regin said, "Now whereas I have made the sword for thee, belike thou + wilt hold to thy troth given, and wilt go meet Fafnir?" + </p> + <p> + "Surely will I hold thereto," said Sigurd, "yet first must I avenge my + father." + </p> + <p> + Now Sigurd the older he grew, the more he grew in the love of all men, so + that every child loved him well. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVI. The prophecy of Grifir. + </h2> + <p> + There was a man hight Grifir,(1) who was Sigurd's mother's brother, and a + little after the forging of the sword Sigurd went to Grifir, because he + was a man who knew things to come, and what was fated to men: of him + Sigurd asked diligently how his life should go; but Grifir was long or he + spake, yet at the last, by reason of Sigurd's exceeding great prayers, he + told him all his life and the fate thereof, even as afterwards came to + pass. So when Grifir had told him all even as he would, he went back home; + and a little after he and Regin met. + </p> + <p> + Then said Regin, "Go thou and slay Fafnir, even as thou hast given thy + word." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "That work shall be wrought; but another is first to be done, + the avenging of Sigmund the king and the other of my kinsmen who fell in + that their last fight." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Called "Gripir" in the Edda. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVII. Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father. + </h2> + <h3> + Now Sigurd went to the kings, and spake thus— + </h3> + <p> + "Here have I abode a space with you, and I owe you thanks and reward, for + great love and many gifts and all due honour; but now will I away from the + land and go meet the sons of Hunding, and do them to wit that the Volsungs + are not all dead; and your might would I have to strengthen me therein." + </p> + <p> + So the kings said that they would give him all things soever that he + desired, and therewith was a great army got ready, and all things wrought + in the most heedful wise, ships and all war-gear, so that his journey + might be of the stateliest: but Sigurd himself steered the dragon-keel + which was the greatest and noblest; richly wrought were their sails, and + glorious to look on. + </p> + <p> + So they sail and have wind at will; but when a few days were overpast, + there arose a great storm on the sea, and the waves were to behold even as + the foam of men's blood; but Sigurd bade take in no sail, howsoever they + might be riven, but rather to lay on higher than heretofore. But as they + sailed past the rocks of a ness, a certain man hailed the ships, and asked + who was captain over that navy; then was it told him that the chief and + lord was Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, the most famed of all the young men + who now are. + </p> + <p> + Then said the man, "Naught but one thing, certes, do all say of him, that + none among the sons of kings may be likened unto him; now fain were I that + ye would shorten sail on some of the ships, and take me aboard." + </p> + <p> + Then they asked him of his name, and he sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Hnikar I hight, + When I gladdened Huginn, + And went to battle, + Bright son of Volsung; + Now may ye call + The carl on the cliff top, + Feng or Fjolnir: + Fain would I with you." +</pre> + <p> + They made for land therewith, and took that man aboard. + </p> + <p> + Then quoth Sigurd,(1) as the song says— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Tell me this, O Hnikar, + Since full well thou knowest + Fate of Gods, good and ill of mankind, + What best our hap foresheweth, + When amid the battle + About us sweeps the sword edge." +</pre> + <p> + Quoth Hnikar— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Good are many tokens + If thereof men wotted + When the swords are sweeping: + Fair fellow deem I + The dark-winged raven, + In war, to weapon-wielder. + + "The second good thing: + When abroad thou goest + For the long road well arrayed, + Good if thou seest + Two men standing, + Fain of fame within the forecourt. + + "A third thing: + Good hearing, + The wolf a howling + Abroad under ash boughs; + Good hap shalt thou have + Dealing with helm-staves, + If thou seest these fare before thee. + + "No man in fight + His face shall turn + Against the moon's sister + Low, late-shining, + For he winneth battle + Who best beholdeth + Through the midmost sword-play, + And the sloping ranks best shapeth. + + "Great is the trouble + Of foot ill-tripping, + When arrayed for fight thou farest, + For on both sides about + Are the D?sir (2) by thee, + Guileful, wishful of thy wounding. + + "Fair-combed, well washen + Let each warrior be, + Nor lack meat in the morning, + For who can rule + The eve's returning, + And base to fall before fate grovelling." +</pre> + <p> + Then the storm abated, and on they fared till they came aland in the realm + of Hunding's sons, and then Fjolnir vanished away. + </p> + <p> + Then they let loose fire and sword, and slew men and burnt their abodes, + and did waste all before them: a great company of folk fled before the + face of them to Lyngi the King, and tell him that men of war are in the + land, and are faring with such rage and fury that the like has never been + heard of; and that the sons of King Hunding had no great forecast in that + they said they would never fear the Volsungs more, for here was come + Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, as captain over this army. + </p> + <p> + So King Lyngi let send the war-message all throughout his realm, and has + no will to flee, but summons to him all such as would give him aid. So he + came against Sigurd with a great army, he and his brothers with him, and + an exceeding fierce fight befell; many a spear and many an arrow might men + see there raised aloft, axes hard driven, shields cleft and byrnies torn, + helmets were shivered, skulls split atwain, and many a man felled to the + cold earth. + </p> + <p> + And now when the fight has long dured in such wise, Sigurd goes forth + before the banners, and has the good sword Gram in his hand, and smites + down both men and horses, and goes through the thickest of the throng with + both arms red with blood to the shoulder; and folk shrank aback before him + wheresoever he went, nor would either helm or byrny hold before him, and + no man deemed he had ever seen his like. So a long while the battle + lasted, and many a man was slain, and furious was the onset; till at last + it befell, even as seldom comes to hand, when a land army falls on, that, + do whatso they might, naught was brought about; but so many men fell of + the sons of Hunding that the tale of them may not be told; and now whenas + Sigurd was among the foremost, came the sons of Hunding against him, and + Sigurd smote therewith at Lyngi the king, and clave him down, both helm + and head, and mail-clad body, and thereafter he smote Hjorward his brother + atwain, and then slew all the other sons of Hunding who were yet alive, + and the more part of their folk withal. + </p> + <p> + Now home goes Sigurd with fair victory won, and plenteous wealth and great + honour, which he had gotten to him in this journey, and feasts were made + for him against he came back to the realm. + </p> + <p> + But when Sigurd had been at home but a little, came Regin to talk with + him, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Belike thou wilt now have good will to bow down Fafnir's crest according + to thy word plighted, since thou hast thus revenged thy father and the + others of thy kin." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "That will we hold to, even as we have promised, nor did + it ever fall from our memory." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) This and verses following were inserted from the "Reginsmal" + by the translators. + (2) "D?sir", sing. "D?s". These are the guardian beings who + follow a man from his birth to his death. The word + originally means sister, and is used throughout the Eddaic + poems as a dignified synonym for woman, lady. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVIII. Of the Slaying of the Worm Fafnir. + </h2> + <p> + Now Sigurd and Regin ride up the heath along that same way wherein Fafnir + was wont to creep when he fared to the water; and folk say that thirty + fathoms was the height of that cliff along which he lay when he drank of + the water below. Then Sigurd spake: + </p> + <p> + "How sayedst thou, Regin, that this drake (1) was no greater than other + lingworms; methinks the track of him is marvellous great?" + </p> + <p> + Then said Regin, "Make thee a hole, and sit down therein, and whenas the + worm comes to the water, smite him into the heart, and so do him to death, + and win thee great fame thereby." + </p> + <p> + But Sigurd said, "What will betide me if I be before the blood of the + worm?" + </p> + <p> + Says Regin, "Of what avail to counsel thee if thou art still afeard of + everything? Little art thou like thy kin in stoutness of heart." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd rides right over the heath; but Regin gets him gone, sore + afeard. + </p> + <p> + But Sigurd fell to digging him a pit, and whiles he was at that work, + there came to him an old man with a long beard, and asked what he wrought + there, and he told him. + </p> + <p> + Then answered the old man and said, "Thou doest after sorry counsel: + rather dig thee many pits, and let the blood run therein; but sit thee + down in one thereof, and so thrust the worm's heart through." + </p> + <p> + And therewithal he vanished away; but Sigurd made the pits even as it was + shown to him. + </p> + <p> + Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook all + about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as he + went; but Sigurd neither trembled nor was adrad at the roaring of him. So + whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword under his + left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts; then up leapt Sigurd + from the pit and drew the sword back again unto him, and therewith was his + arm all bloody, up to the very shoulder. + </p> + <p> + Now when that mighty worm was ware that he had his death-wound, then he + lashed out head and tail, so that all things soever that were before him + were broken to pieces. + </p> + <p> + So whenas Fafnir had his death-wound, he asked "Who art thou? And who is + thy father? And what thy kin, that thou wert so hardy as to bear weapons + against me?" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "Unknown to men is my kin. I am called a noble beast: (2) + neither father have I nor mother, and all alone have I fared hither." + </p> + <p> + Said Fafnir, "Whereas thou hast neither father nor mother, of what wonder + wert thou born then? But now, though thou tellest me not thy name on this + my death-day, yet thou knowest verily that thou liest unto me." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Sigurd am I called, and my father was Sigmund." + </p> + <p> + Says Fafnir, "Who egged thee on to this deed, and why wouldst thou be + driven to it? Hadst thou never heard how that all folk were adrad of me, + and of the awe of my countenance? But an eager father thou hadst, O bright + eyed swain!" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "A hardy heart urged me on hereto; and a strong hand and + this sharp sword, which well thou knowest now, stood me in stead in the + doing of the deed; 'Seldom hath hardy eld a faint-heart youth.'" + </p> + <p> + Fafnir said, "Well, I wot that hadst thou waxed amid thy kin, thou + mightest have good skill to slay folk in thine anger; but more of a marvel + is it, that thou, a bondsman taken in war, shouldst have the heart to set + on me, 'for few among bondsmen have heart for the fight.'" + </p> + <p> + Said Sigurd, "Wilt thou then cast it in my teeth that I am far away from + my kin? Albeit I was a bondsman, yet was I never shackled. God wot thou + hast found me free enow." + </p> + <p> + Fafnir answered, "In angry wise dost thou take my speech; but hearken, for + that same gold which I have owned shall be thy bane too." + </p> + <p> + Quoth Sigurd, "Fain would we keep all our wealth til that day of days; yet + shall each man die once for all." + </p> + <p> + Said Fafnir, "Few things wilt thou do after my counsel; but take heed that + thou shalt be drowned if thou farest unwarily over the sea; so bide thou + rather on the dry land, for the coming of the calm tide." + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "Speak, Fafnir, and say, if thou art so exceeding wise, + who are the Norns who rule the lot of all mothers' sons." + </p> + <p> + Fafnir answers, "Many there be and wide apart; for some are of the kin of + the Aesir, and some are of Elfin kin, and some there are who are daughters + of Dvalin." + </p> + <p> + Said Sigurd, "How namest thou the holm whereon Surt (3) and the Aesir mix + and mingle the water of the sword?" + </p> + <p> + "Unshapen is that holm hight," said Fafnir. + </p> + <p> + And yet again he said, "Regin, my brother, has brought about my end, and + it gladdens my heart that thine too he bringeth about; for thus will + things be according to his will." + </p> + <p> + And once again he spake, "A countenance of terror I bore up before all + folk, after that I brooded over the heritage of my brother, and on every + side did I spout out poison, so that none durst come anigh me, and of no + weapon was I adrad, nor ever had I so many men before me, as that I deemed + myself not stronger than all; for all men were sore afeard of me." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered and said, "Few may have victory by means of that same + countenance of terror, for whoso comes amongst many shall one day find + that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all." + </p> + <p> + Then says Fafnir, "Such counsel I give thee, that thou take thy horse and + ride away at thy speediest, for ofttimes it falls out so, that he who gets + a death-wound avenges himself none the less." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "Such as thy redes are I will nowise do after them; nay, + I will ride now to thy lair and take to me that great treasure of thy + kin." + </p> + <p> + "Ride there then," said Fafnir, "and thou shalt find gold enow to suffice + thee for all thy life-days; yet shall that gold be thy bane, and the bane + of every one soever who owns it." + </p> + <p> + Then up stood Sigurd, and said, "Home would I ride and lose all that + wealth, if I deemed that by the losing thereof I should never die; but + every brave and true man will fain have his hand on wealth till that last + day; but thou, Fafnir, wallow in the death-pain till Death and Hell have + thee." + </p> + <p> + And therewithal Fafnir died. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lat. "draco", a dragon. + (2) "Unknown to men is my kin." Sigurd refusing to tell his + name is to be referred to the superstition that a dying man + could throw a curse on his enemy. + (3) Surt; a fire-giant, who will destroy the world at the + Ragnarok, or destruction of all things. Aesir; the gods. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIX. Of the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar. + </h2> + <p> + Thereafter came Regin to Sigurd, and said, "Hail, lord and master, a noble + victory hast thou won in the slaying of Fafnir, whereas none durst + heretofore abide in the path of him; and now shall this deed of fame be of + renown while the world stands fast." + </p> + <p> + Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and presently + thereafter spake from heavy mood: "Mine own brother hast thou slain, and + scarce may I be called sackless of the deed." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd took his sword Gram and dried it on the earth, and spake to + Regin— + </p> + <p> + "Afar thou faredst when I wrought this deed and tried this sharp sword + with the hand and the might of me; with all the might and main of a dragon + must I strive, while thou wert laid alow in the heather-bush, wotting not + if it were earth or heaven." + </p> + <p> + Said Regin, "Long might this worm have lain in his lair, if the sharp + sword I forged with my hand had not been good at need to thee; had that + not been, neither thou nor any man would have prevailed against him as at + this time." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answers, "Whenas men meet foes in fight, better is stout heart than + sharp sword." + </p> + <p> + Then said Regin, exceeding heavily, "Thou hast slain my brother, and + scarce may I be sackless of the deed." + </p> + <p> + Therewith Sigurd cut out the heart of the worm with the sword called + Ridil; but Regin drank of Fafnir's blood, and spake, "Grant me a boon, and + do a thing little for thee to do. Bear the heart to the fire, and roast + it, and give me thereof to eat." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd went his ways and roasted it on a rod; and when the blood + bubbled out he laid his finger thereon to essay it, if it were fully done; + and then he set his finger in his mouth, and lo, when the heart-blood of + the worm touched his tongue, straightway he knew the voice of all fowls, + and heard withal how the wood-peckers chattered in the brake beside him— + </p> + <p> + "There sittest thou, Sigurd, roasting Fafnir's heart for another, that + thou shouldest eat thine ownself, and then thou shouldest become the + wisest of all men." + </p> + <p> + And another spake: "There lies Regin, minded to beguile the man who trusts + in him." + </p> + <p> + But yet again said the third, "Let him smite the head from off him then, + and be only lord of all that gold." + </p> + <p> + And once more the fourth spake and said, "Ah, the wiser were he if he + followed after that good counsel, and rode thereafter to Fafnir's lair, + and took to him that mighty treasure that lieth there, and then rode over + Hindfell, whereas sleeps Brynhild; for there would he get great wisdom. + Ah, wise he were, if he did after your redes, and bethought him of his own + weal; 'for where wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near.'" + </p> + <p> + Then cried the fifth: "Yea, yea, not so wise is he as I deem him, if he + spareth him, whose brother he hath slain already." + </p> + <p> + At last spake the sixth: "Handy and good rede to slay him, and be lord of + the treasure!" + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "The time is unborn wherein Regin shall be my bane; nay, + rather one road shall both these brothers fare." + </p> + <p> + And therewith he drew his sword Gram and struck off Regin's head. + </p> + <p> + Then heard Sigurd the wood-peckers a-singing, even as the song says. (1) + </p> + <p> + For the first sang: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Bind thou, Sigurd, + The bright red rings! + Not meet it is + Many things to fear. + A fair may know I, + Fair of all the fairest + Girt about with gold, + Good for thy getting." +</pre> + <p> + And the second: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Green go the ways + Toward the hall of Giuki + That the fates show forth + To those who fare thither; + There the rich king + Reareth a daughter; + Thou shalt deal, Sigurd, + With gold for thy sweetling." +</pre> + <p> + And the third: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "A high hall is there + Reared upon Hindfell, + Without all around it + Sweeps the red flame aloft. + Wise men wrought + That wonder of halls + With the unhidden gleam + Of the glory of gold." +</pre> + <p> + Then the fourth sang: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Soft on the fell + A shield-may sleepeth + The lime-trees' red plague + Playing about her: + The sleep-thorn set Odin + Into that maiden + For her choosing in war + The one he willed not. + + "Go, son, behold + That may under helm + Whom from battle + Vinskornir bore, + From her may not turn + The torment of sleep. + Dear offspring of kings + In the dread Norns' despite." +</pre> + <p> + Then Sigurd ate some deal of Fafnir's heart, and the remnant he kept. Then + he leapt on his horse and rode along the trail of the worm Fafnir, and so + right unto his abiding-place; and he found it open, and beheld all the + doors and the gear of them that they were wrought of iron: yea, and all + the beams of the house; and it was dug down deep into the earth: there + found Sigurd gold exceeding plenteous, and the sword Rotti; and thence he + took the Helm of Awe, and the Gold Byrny, and many things fair and good. + So much gold he found there, that he thought verily that scarce might two + horses, or three belike, bear it thence. So he took all the gold and laid + it in two great chests, and set them on the horse Grani, and took the + reins of him, but nowise will he stir, neither will he abide smiting. Then + Sigurd knows the mind of the horse, and leaps on the back of him, and + smites and spurs into him, and off the horse goes even as if he were + unladen. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) The Songs of the Birds were inserted from "Reginsmal" by the + translators. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XX. Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the Mountain. + </h2> + <p> + By long roads rides Sigurd, till he comes at the last up on to Hindfell, + and wends his way south to the land of the Franks; and he sees before him + on the fell a great light, as of fire burning, and flaming up even unto + the heavens; and when he came thereto, lo, a shield-hung castle before + him, and a banner on the topmost thereof: into the castle went Sigurd, and + saw one lying there asleep, and all-armed. Therewith he takes the helm + from off the head of him, and sees that it is no man, but a woman; and she + was clad in a byrny as closely set on her as though it had grown to her + flesh; so he rent it from the collar downwards; and then the sleeves + thereof, and ever the sword bit on it as if it were cloth. Then said + Sigurd that over-long had she lain asleep; but she asked— + </p> + <p> + "What thing of great might is it that has prevailed to rend my byrny, and + draw me from my sleep?" + </p> + <p> + Even as sings the song: (1) + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "What bit on the byrny, + Why breaks my sleep away, + Who has turned from me + My wan tormenting?" +</pre> + <p> + "Ah, is it so, that here is come Sigurd Sigmundson, bearing Fafnir's helm + on his head and Fafnir's bane in his hand?" + </p> + <p> + Then answered Sigurd— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Sigmund's son + With Sigurd's sword + E'en now rent down + The raven's wall." +</pre> + <p> + "Of the Volsung's kin is he who has done the deed; but now I have heard + that thou art daughter of a mighty king, and folk have told us that thou + wert lovely and full of lore, and now I will try the same." + </p> + <p> + Then Brynhild sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Long have I slept + And slumbered long, + Many and long are the woes of mankind, + By the might of Odin + Must I bide helpless + To shake from off me the spells of slumber. + + "Hail to the day come back! + Hail, sons of the daylight! + Hail to thee, dark night, and thy daughter! + Look with kind eyes a-down, + On us sitting here lonely, + And give unto us the gain that we long for. + + "Hail to the Aesir, + And the sweet Asyniur! (2) + Hail to the fair earth fulfilled of plenty! + Fair words, wise hearts, + Would we win from you, + And healing hands while life we hold." +</pre> + <p> + Then Brynhild speaks again and says, "Two kings fought, one hight Helm + Gunnar, an old man, and the greatest of warriors, and Odin had promised + the victory unto him; but his foe was Agnar, or Audi's brother: and so I + smote down Helm Gunnar in the fight; and Odin, in vengeance for that deed, + stuck the sleep-thorn into me, and said that I should never again have the + victory, but should be given away in marriage; but thereagainst I vowed a + vow, that never would I wed one who knew the name of fear." + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "Teach us the lore of mighty matters!" + </p> + <p> + She said, "Belike thou cannest more skill in all than I; yet will I teach + thee; yea, and with thanks, if there be aught of my cunning that will in + anywise pleasure thee, either of runes or of other matters that are the + root of things; but now let us drink together, and may the Gods give to us + twain a good day, that thou mayst win good help and fame from my wisdom, + and that thou mayst hereafter mind thee of that which we twain speak + together." + </p> + <p> + Then Brynhild filled a beaker and bore it to Sigurd, and gave him the + drink of love, and spake— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Beer bring I to thee, + Fair fruit of the byrnies' clash, + Mixed is it mightily, + Mingled with fame, + Brimming with bright lays + And pitiful runes, + Wise words, sweet words, + Speech of great game. + + "Runes of war know thou, + If great thou wilt be! + Cut them on hilt of hardened sword, + Some on the brand's back, + Some on its shining side, + Twice name Tyr therein. + + "Sea-runes good at need, + Learnt for ship's saving, + For the good health of the swimming horse; + On the stern cut them, + Cut them on the rudder-blade + And set flame to shaven oar: + Howso big be the sea-hills, + Howso blue beneath, + Hail from the main then comest thou home. + + "Word-runes learn well + If thou wilt that no man + Pay back grief for the grief thou gavest; + Wind thou these, + Weave thou these, + Cast thou these all about thee, + At the Thing, + Where folk throng, + Unto the full doom faring. + + "Of ale-runes know the wisdom + If thou wilt that another's wife + Should not bewray thine heart that trusteth: + Cut them on the mead-horn, + On the back of each hand, + And nick an N upon thy nail. + + "Ale have thou heed + To sign from all harm + Leek lay thou in the liquor, + Then I know for sure + Never cometh to thee, + Mead with hurtful matters mingled. + + "Help-runes shalt thou gather + If skill thou wouldst gain + To loosen child from low-laid mother; + Cut be they in hands hollow, + Wrapped the joints round about; + Call for the Good-folks' gainsome helping. + + "Learn the bough-runes wisdom + If leech-lore thou lovest; + And wilt wot about wounds' searching + On the bark be they scored; + On the buds of trees + Whose boughs look eastward ever. + + "Thought-runes shalt thou deal with + If thou wilt be of all men + Fairest-souled wight, and wisest, + These areded + These first cut + These first took to heart high Hropt. + + "On the shield were they scored + That stands before the shining God, + On Early-waking's ear, + On All-knowing's hoof, + On the wheel which runneth + Under Rognir's chariot; + On Sleipnir's jaw-teeth, + On the sleigh's traces. + + "On the rough bear's paws, + And on Bragi's tongue, + On the wolf's claws, + And on eagle's bill, + On bloody wings, + And bridge's end; + On loosing palms, + And pity's path: + + "On glass, and on gold, + And on goodly silver, + In wine and in wort, + And the seat of the witch-wife; + On Gungnir's point, + And Grani's bosom; + On the Norn's nail, + And the neb of the night-owl. + + "All these so cut, + Were shaven and sheared, + And mingled in with holy mead, + And sent upon wide ways enow; + Some abide with the Elves, + Some abide with the Aesir, + Or with the wise Vanir, + Some still hold the sons of mankind. + + "These be the book-runes, + And the runes of good help, + And all the ale-runes, + And the runes of much might; + To whomso they may avail, + Unbewildered unspoilt; + They are wholesome to have: + Thrive thou with these then. + When thou hast learnt their lore, + Till the Gods end thy life-days. + + "Now shalt thou choose thee + E'en as choice is bidden, + Sharp steel's root and stem, + Choose song or silence; + See to each in thy heart, + All hurt has been heeded." +</pre> + <p> + Then answered Sigurd— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Ne'er shall I flee, + Though thou wottest me fey; + Never was I born for blenching, + Thy loved rede will I + Hold aright in my heart + Even as long as I may live." +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) The stanzas on the two following pages were inserted here + from "Sigrdrifasmal" by the translators. + (2) Goddesses. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0021" id="link2HCH0021"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXI. More Wise Words of Brynhild. + </h2> + <h3> + Sigurd spake now, "Sure no wiser woman than thou art one may be found in + the wide world; yea, yea, teach me more yet of thy wisdom!" + </h3> + <p> + She answers, "Seemly is it that I do according to thy will, and show thee + forth more redes of great avail, for thy prayer's sake and thy wisdom;" + and she spake withal— + </p> + <p> + "Be kindly to friend and kin, and reward not their trespasses against + thee; bear and forbear, and win for thee thereby long enduring praise of + men. + </p> + <p> + "Take good heed of evil things: a may's love, and a man's wife; full oft + thereof doth ill befall! + </p> + <p> + "Let not thy mind be overmuch crossed by unwise men at thronged meetings + of folk; for oft these speak worse than they wot of; lest thou be called a + dastard, and art minded to think that thou art even as is said; slay such + an one on another day, and so reward his ugly talk. + </p> + <p> + "If thou farest by the way whereas bide evil things, be well ware of + thyself; take not harbour near the highway, though thou be benighted, for + oft abide there ill wights for men's bewilderment. + </p> + <p> + "Let not fair women beguile thee, such as thou mayst meet at the feast, so + that the thought thereof stand thee in stead of sleep, and a quiet mind; + yea, draw them not to thee with kisses or other sweet things of love. + </p> + <p> + "If thou hearest the fool's word of a drunken man, strive not with him + being drunk with drink and witless; many a grief, yea, and the very death, + groweth from out such things. + </p> + <p> + "Fight thy foes in the field, nor be burnt in thine house. + </p> + <p> + 'Never swear thou wrongsome oath; great and grim is the reward for the + breaking of plighted troth. + </p> + <p> + "Give kind heed to dead men,—sick-dead, Sea-dead; deal heedfully + with their dead corpses. + </p> + <p> + "Trow never in him for whom thou hast slain father, brother, or whatso + near kin, yea, though young he be; 'for oft waxes wolf in youngling'. + </p> + <p> + "Look thou with good heed to the wiles of thy friends; but little skill is + given to me, that I should foresee the ways of thy life; yet good it were + that hate fell not on thee from those of thy wife's house." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd spake, "None among the sons of men can be found wiser than thou; + and thereby swear I, that thee will I have as my own, for near to my heart + thou liest." + </p> + <p> + She answers, "Thee would I fainest choose, though I had all men's sons to + choose from." + </p> + <p> + And thereto they plighted troth both of them. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0022" id="link2HCH0022"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXII. Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. (1) + </h2> + <p> + Now Sigurd rides away; many-folded is his shield, and blazing with red + gold, and the image of a dragon is drawn thereon; and this same was dark + brown above, and bright red below; and with even such-like image was + adorned helm, and saddle, and coat-armour; and he was clad in the golden + byrny, and all his weapons were gold wrought. + </p> + <p> + Now for this cause was the drake drawn on all his weapons, that when he + was seen of men, all folk might know who went there; yea, all those who + had heard of his slaying of that great dragon, that the Voerings call + Fafnir; and for that cause are his weapons gold-wrought, and brown of hue, + and that he was by far above other men in courtesy and goodly manners, and + well-nigh in all things else; and whenas folk tell of all the mightiest + champions, and the noblest chiefs, then ever is he named the foremost, and + his name goes wide about on all tongues north of the sea of the + Greek-lands, and even so shall it be while the world endures. + </p> + <p> + Now the hair of this Sigurd was golden-red of hue, fair of fashion, and + falling down in great locks; thick and short was his beard, and of no + other colour, high-nosed he was, broad and high-boned of face; so keen + were his eyes, that few durst gaze up under the brows of him; his + shoulders were as broad to look on as the shoulders of two; most duly was + his body fashioned betwixt height and breadth, and in such wise as was + seemliest; and this is the sign told of his height, that when he was girt + with his sword Gram, which same was seven spans long, as he went through + the full-grown rye-fields, the dew-shoe of the said sword smote the ears + of the standing corn; and, for all that, greater was his strength than his + growth: well could he wield sword, and cast forth spear, shoot shaft, and + hold shield, bend bow, back horse, and do all the goodly deeds that he + learned in his youth's days. + </p> + <p> + Wise he was to know things yet undone; and the voice of all fowls he knew, + wherefore few things fell on him unawares. + </p> + <p> + Of many words he was, and so fair of speech withal, that whensoever he + made it his business to speak, he never left speaking before that to all + men it seemed full sure, that no otherwise must the matter be than as he + said. + </p> + <p> + His sport and pleasure it was to give aid to his own folk, and to prove + himself in mighty matters, to take wealth from his unfriends, and give the + same to his friends. + </p> + <p> + Never did he lose heart, and of naught was he adrad. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is nearly literally the same as chapter 166 of + the "Wilkinasaga"; Ed.: Perinskiold, Stockholm, 1715. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0023" id="link2HCH0023"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIII. Sigurd comes to Hlymdale. + </h2> + <p> + Forth Sigurd rides till he comes to a great and goodly dwelling, the lord + whereof was a mighty chief called Heimir; he had to wife a sister of + Brynhild, who was hight Bekkhild, because she had bidden at home, and + learned handicraft, whereas Brynhild fared with helm and byrny unto the + wars, wherefore was she called Brynhild. + </p> + <p> + Heimir and Bekkhild had a son called Alswid, the most courteous of men. + </p> + <p> + Now at this stead were men disporting them abroad, but when they see the + man riding thereto, they leave their play to wonder at him, for none such + had they ever seen erst; so they went to meet him, and gave him good + welcome; Alswid bade him abide and have such things at his hands as he + would; and he takes his bidding blithesomely; due service withal was + established for him; four men bore the treasure of gold from off the + horse, and the fifth took it to him to guard the same; therein were many + things to behold, things of great price, and seldom seen; and great game + and joy men had to look on byrnies and helms, and mighty rings, and + wondrous great golden stoups, and all kinds of war weapons. + </p> + <p> + So there dwelt Sigurd long in great honour holden; and tidings of that + deed of fame spread wide through all lands, of how he had slain that + hideous and fearful dragon. So good joyance had they there together, and + each was leal to other; and their sport was in the arraying of their + weapons, and the shafting of their arrows, and the flying of their + falcons. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0024" id="link2HCH0024"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIV. Sigurd sees Brynhild at Hlymdale. + </h2> + <p> + In those days came home to Heimir, Brynhild, his foster-daughter, and she + sat in her bower with her maidens, and could more skill in handycraft than + other women; she sat, overlaying cloth with gold, and sewing therein the + great deeds which Sigurd had wrought, the slaying of the Worm, and the + taking of the wealth of him, and the death of Regin withal. + </p> + <p> + Now tells the tale, that on a day Sigurd rode into the wood with hawk, and + hound, and men thronging; and whenas he came home his hawk flew up to a + high tower, and sat him down on a certain window. Then fared Sigurd after + his hawk, and he saw where sat a fair woman, and knew that it was + Brynhild, and he deems all things he sees there to be worthy together, + both her fairness, and the fair things she wrought: and therewith he goes + into the hall, but has no more joyance in the games of the men folk. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Alswid, "Why art thou so bare of bliss? this manner of thine + grieveth us thy friends; why then wilt thou not hold to thy gleesome ways? + Lo, thy hawks pine now, and thy horse Grani droops; and long will it be + ere we are booted thereof?" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "Good friend, hearken to what lies on my mind; for my + hawk flew up into a certain tower; and when I came thereto and took him, + lo there I saw a fair woman, and she sat by a needlework of gold, and did + thereon my deeds that are passed, and my deeds that are to come." + </p> + <p> + Then said Alswid, "Thou has seen Brynhild, Budli's daughter, the greatest + of great women." + </p> + <p> + "Yea, verily," said Sigurd; "but how came she hither?" + </p> + <p> + Aswid answered, "Short space there was betwixt the coming hither of the + twain of you." + </p> + <p> + Says Sigurd, "Yea, but a few days agone I knew her for the best of the + world's women." + </p> + <p> + Alswid said, "Give not all thine heed to one woman, being such a man as + thou art; ill life to sit lamenting for what we may not have." + </p> + <p> + "I shall go meet her," says Sigurd, "and get from her love like my love, + and give her a gold ring in token thereof." + </p> + <p> + Alswid answered, "None has ever yet been known whom she would let sit + beside her, or to whom she would give drink; for ever will she hold to + warfare and to the winning of all kinds of fame." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "We know not for sure whether she will give us answer or not, + or grant us a seat beside her." + </p> + <p> + So the next day after, Sigurd went to the bower, but Alswid stood outside + the bower door, fitting shafts to his arrows. + </p> + <p> + Now Sigurd spake, "Abide, fair and hale lady,—how farest thou?" + </p> + <p> + She answered, "Well it fares; my kin and my friends live yet: but who + shall say what goodhap folk may bear to their life's end?" + </p> + <p> + He sat him down by her, and there came in four damsels with great golden + beakers, and the best of wine therein; and these stood before the twain. + </p> + <p> + Then said Brynhild, "This seat is for few, but and if my father come." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Yet is it granted to one that likes me well." + </p> + <p> + Now that chamber was hung with the best and fairest of hangings, and the + floor thereof was all covered with cloth. + </p> + <p> + Sigurd spake, "Now has it come to pass even as thou didst promise." + </p> + <p> + "O be thou welcome here!" said she, and arose therewith, and the four + damsels with her, and bore the golden beaker to him, and bade him drink; + he stretched out his hand to the beaker, and took it, and her hand withal, + and drew her down beside him; and cast his arms round about her neck and + kissed her, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Thou art the fairest that was ever born!" + </p> + <p> + But Brynhild said, "Ah, wiser is it not to cast faith and troth into a + woman's power, for ever shall they break that they have promised." + </p> + <p> + He said, "That day would dawn the best of days over our heads whereon each + of each should be made happy." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "It is not fated that we should abide together; I am a + shield-may, and wear helm on head even as the kings of war, and them full + oft I help, neither is the battle become loathsome to me." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "What fruit shall be of our life, if we live not + together: harder to bear this pain that lies hereunder, than the stroke of + sharp sword." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "I shall gaze on the hosts of the war-kings, but thou + shalt wed Gudrun, the daughter of Giuki." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "What king's daughter lives to beguile me? neither am I + double-hearted herein; and now I swear by the Gods that thee shall I have + for mine own, or no woman else." + </p> + <p> + And even suchlike wise spake she. + </p> + <p> + Sigurd thanked her for her speech, and gave her a gold ring, and now they + swore oath anew, and so he went his ways to his men, and is with them + awhile in great bliss. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0025" id="link2HCH0025"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXV. Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter. + </h2> + <p> + There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three + sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the + name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were + far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and + growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of + fame. But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife. + </p> + <p> + Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they + both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and + a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the + greatest of warriors. Grimhild was a fierce-hearted woman. + </p> + <p> + Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those + children, so far before the sons of men. + </p> + <p> + On a day Gudrun says to her mays that she may have no joy of heart; then a + certain woman asked her wherefore her joy was departed. + </p> + <p> + She answered, "Grief came to me in my dreams, therefore is there sorrow in + my heart, since thou must needs ask thereof." + </p> + <p> + "Tell it me, then, thy dream," said the woman, "for dreams oft forecast + but the weather." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Nay, nay, no weather is this; I dreamed that I had a fair + hawk on my wrist, feathered with feathers of gold." + </p> + <p> + Says the woman, "Many have heard tell of thy beauty, thy wisdom, and thy + courtesy; some king's son abides thee, then." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "I dreamed that naught was so dear to me as this hawk, and + all my wealth had I cast aside rather than him." + </p> + <p> + The woman said, "Well, then, the man thou shalt have will be of the + goodliest, and well shalt thou love him." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answered, "It grieves me that I know not who he shall be; let us go + seek Brynhild, for she belike will wot thereof." + </p> + <p> + So they arrayed them in gold and many a fair thing, and she went with her + damsels till they came to the hall of Brynhild, and that hall was dight + with gold, and stood on a high hill; and whenas their goings were seen, it + was told Brynhild, that a company of women drove toward the burg in gilded + waggons. + </p> + <p> + "That shall be Gudrun, Giuki's daughter," says she: "I dreamed of her last + night; let us go meet her! No fairer woman may come to our house." + </p> + <p> + So they went abroad to meet them, and gave them good greeting, and they + went into the goodly hall together; fairly painted it was within, and well + adorned with silver vessel; cloths were spread under the feet of them, and + all folk served them, and in many wise they sported. + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun was somewhat silent. + </p> + <p> + Then said Brynhild, "Ill to abash folk of their mirth; prithee do not so; + let us talk together for our disport of mighty kings and their great + deeds." + </p> + <p> + "Good talk," says Gudrun, "let us do even so; what kings deemest thou to + have been the first of all men?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild says, "The sons of Haki, and Hagbard withal; they brought to pass + many a deed of fame in the warfare." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Great men certes, and of noble fame! Yet Sigar took their + one sister, and burned the other, house and all; and they may be called + slow to revenge the deed; why didst thou not name my brethren, who are + held to be the first of men as at this time?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild says, "Men of good hope are they surely, though but little proven + hitherto; but one I know far before them, Sigurd, the son of Sigmund the + king; a youngling was he in the days when he slew the sons of Hunding, and + revenged his father, and Eylimi, his mother's father." + </p> + <p> + Said Gudrun, "By what token tellest thou that?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "His mother went amid the dead, and found Sigmund the + king sore wounded, and would bind up his hurts; but he said he grew over + old for war, and bade her lay this comfort to her heart, that she should + bear the most famed of sons; and wise was the wise man's word therein: for + after the death of King Sigmund, she went to King Alf, and there was + Sigurd nourished in great honour, and day by day he wrought some deed of + fame, and is the man most renowned of all the wide world." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "From love hast thou gained these tidings of him; but for + this cause came I here, to tell thee dreams of mine which have brought me + great grief." + </p> + <p> + Says Brynhild, "Let not such matters sadden thee; abide with thy friends + who wish thee blithesome, all of them!" + </p> + <p> + "This I dreamed," said Gudrun, "that we went, a many of us in company, + from the bower, and we saw an exceeding great hart, that far excelled all + other deer ever seen, and the hair of him was golden; and this deer we + were all fain to take, but I alone got him; and he seemed to me better + than all things else; but sithence thou, Byrnhild, didst shoot and slay my + deer even at my very knees, and such grief was that to me that scarce + might I bear it; and then afterwards thou gavest me a wolf-cub, which + besprinkled me with the blood of my brethren." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "I will arede thy dream, even as things shall come to + pass hereafter; for Sigurd shall come to thee, even he whom I have chosen + for my well-beloved; and Grimhild shall give him mead mingled with hurtful + things, which shall cast us all into mighty strife. Him shalt thou have, + and him shalt thou quickly miss; and Atli the king shalt thou wed; and thy + brethren shalt thou lose, and slay Atli withal in the end." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Grief and woe to know that such things shall be!" + </p> + <p> + And therewith she and hers get them gone home to King Giuki. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0026" id="link2HCH0026"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVI. Sigurd comes to the Giukings and is wedded to Gudrun. + </h2> + <p> + Now Sigurd goes his ways with all that great treasure, and in friendly + wise he departs from them; and on Grani he rides with all his war-gear and + the burden withal; and thus he rides until he comes to the hall of King + Giuki; there he rides into the burg, and that sees one of the king's men, + and he spake withal— + </p> + <p> + "Sure it may be deemed that here is come one of the Gods, for his array is + all done with gold, and his horse is far mightier than other horses, and + the manner of his weapons is most exceeding goodly, and most of all the + man himself far excels all other men ever seen." + </p> + <p> + So the king goes out with his court and greets the man, and asks— + </p> + <p> + "Who art thou who thus ridest into my burg, as none has durst hitherto + without the leave of my sons?" + </p> + <p> + He answered, "I am called Sigurd, son of King Sigmund." + </p> + <p> + Then said King Giuki, "Be thou welcome here then, and take at our hands + whatso thou willest." + </p> + <p> + So he went into the king's hall, and all men seemed little beside him, and + all men served him, and there he abode in great joyance. + </p> + <p> + Now oft they all ride abroad together, Sigurd and Gunnar and Hogni, and + ever is Sigurd far the foremost of them, mighty men of their hands though + they were. + </p> + <p> + But Grimhild finds how heartily Sigurd loved Brynhild, and how oft he + talks of her; and she falls to thinking how well it were, if he might + abide there and wed the daughter of King Giuki, for she saw that none + might come anigh to his goodliness, and what faith and goodhelp there was + in him, and how that he had more wealth withal than folk might tell of any + man; and the king did to him even as unto his own sons, and they for their + parts held him of more worth than themselves. + </p> + <p> + So on a night as they sat at the drink, the queen arose, and went before + Sigurd, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Great joy we have in thine abiding here, and all good things will we put + before thee to take of us; lo now, take this horn and drink thereof." + </p> + <p> + So he took it and drank, and therewithal she said, "Thy father shall be + Giuki the king, and I shall be thy mother, and Gunnar and Hogni shall be + thy brethren, and all this shall be sworn with oaths each to each; and + then surely shall the like of you never be found on earth." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd took her speech well, for with the drinking of that drink all + memory of Brynhild departed from him. So there he abode awhile. + </p> + <p> + And on a day went Grimhild to Giuki the king, and cast her arms about his + neck, and spake— + </p> + <p> + "Behold, there has now come to us the greatest of great hearts that the + world holds; and needs must he be trusty and of great avail; give him thy + daughter then, with plenteous wealth, and as much of rule as he will; + perchance thereby he will be well content to abide here ever." + </p> + <p> + The king answered, "Seldom does it befall that kings offer their daughters + to any; yet in higher wise will it be done to offer her to this man, than + to take lowly prayers for her from others." + </p> + <p> + On a night Gudrun pours out the drink, and Sigurd beholds her how fair she + is and how full of all courtesy. + </p> + <p> + Five seasons Sigurd abode there, and ever they passed their days together + in good honour and friendship. + </p> + <p> + And so it befell that the kings held talk together, and Giuki said — + </p> + <p> + "Great good thou givest us, Sigurd, and with exceeding strength thou + strengthenest our realm." + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar said, "All things that may be will we do for thee, so thou + abidest here long; both dominion shalt thou have, and our sister freely + and unprayed for, whom another man would not get for all his prayers." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd says, "Thanks have ye for this wherewith ye honour me, and gladly + will I take the same." + </p> + <p> + Therewith they swore brotherhood together, and to be even as if they were + children of one father and one mother; and a noble feast was holden, and + endured many days, and Sigurd drank at the wedding of him and Gudrun; and + there might men behold all manner of game and glee, and each day the feast + better and better. + </p> + <p> + Now fare these folk wide over the world, and do many great deeds, and slay + many kings' sons, and no man has ever done such works of prowess as did + they; then home they come again with much wealth won in war. + </p> + <p> + Sigurd gave of the serpent's heart to Gudrun, and she ate thereof, and + became greater-hearted, and wiser than ere before: and the son of these + twain was called Sigmund. + </p> + <p> + Now on a time went Grimhild to Gunnar her son, and spake— + </p> + <p> + "Fair blooms the life and fortune of thee, but for one thing only, and + namely whereas thou art unwedded; go woo Brynhild; good rede is this, and + Sigurd will ride with thee." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar answered, "Fair is she certes, and I am fain enow to win her;" and + therewith he tells his father, and his brethren, and Sigurd, and they all + prick him on to that wooing. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0027" id="link2HCH0027"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVII. The Wooing of Brynhild. + </h2> + <p> + Now they array them joyously for their journey, and ride over hill and + dale to the house of King Budli, and woo his daughter of him; in a good + wise he took their speech, if so be that she herself would not deny them; + but he said withal that so high-minded was she, that that man only might + wed her whom she would. + </p> + <p> + Then they ride to Hlymdale, and there Heimir gave them good welcome; so + Gunnar tells his errand; Heimir says, that she must needs wed but him whom + she herself chose freely; and tells them how her abode was but a little + way thence, and that he deemed that him only would she have who should + ride through the flaming fire that was drawn round about her hall; so they + depart and come to the hall and the fire, and see there a castle with a + golden roof-ridge, and all round about a fire roaring up. + </p> + <p> + Now Gunnar rode on Goti, but Hogni on Holkvi, and Gunnar smote his horse + to face the fire, but he shrank aback. + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "Why givest thou back, Gunnar?" + </p> + <p> + He answered, "The horse will not tread this fire; but lend me thy horse + Grani." + </p> + <p> + "Yea, with all my good will," says Sigurd. + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar rides him at the fire, and yet nowise will Gram stir, nor may + Gunnar any the more ride through that fire. So now they change semblance, + Gunnar and Sigurd, even as Grimhild had taught them; then Sigurd in the + likeness of Gunnar mounts and rides, Gram in his hand, and golden spurs on + his heels; then leapt Grani into the fire when he felt the spurs; and a + mighty roar arose as the fire burned ever madder, and the earth trembled, + and the flames went up even unto the heavens, nor had any dared to ride as + he rode, even as it were through the deep mirk. + </p> + <p> + But now the fire sank withal, and he leapt from his horse and went into + the hall, even as the song says— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "The flame flared at its maddest, + Earth's fields fell a-quaking + As the red flame aloft + Licked the lowest of heaven. + Few had been fain, + Of the rulers of folk, + To ride through that flame, + Or athwart it to tread. + + "Then Sigurd smote + Grani with sword, + And the flame was slaked + Before the king; + Low lay the flames + Before the fain of fame; + Bright gleamed the array + That Regin erst owned. +</pre> + <p> + Now when Sigurd had passed through the fire, he came into a certain fair + dwelling, and therein sat Brynhild. + </p> + <p> + She asked, "What man is it?" + </p> + <p> + Then he named himself Gunnar, son of Giuki, and said—"Thou art + awarded to me as my wife, by the good will and word of thy father and thy + foster-father, and I have ridden through the flames of thy fire, according + to thy word that thou hast set forth." + </p> + <p> + "I wot not clearly," said she, "how I shall answer thee." + </p> + <p> + Now Sigurd stood upright on the hall floor, and leaned on the hilt of his + sword, and he spake to Brynhild— + </p> + <p> + "In reward thereof, shall I pay thee a great dower in gold and goodly + things?" + </p> + <p> + She answered in heavy mood from her seat, whereas she sat like unto swan + on billow, having a sword in her hand, and a helm on her head, and being + clad in a byrny, "O Gunnar," she says, "speak not to me of such things, + unless thou be the first and best of all men; for then shalt thou slay + those my wooers, if thou hast heart thereto; I have been in battles with + the king of the Greeks, and our weapons were stained with red blood, and + for such things still I yearn." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Yea, certes many great deeds hast thou done; but yet call + thou to mind thine oath, concerning the riding through of this fire, + wherein thou didst swear that thou wouldst go with the man who should do + this deed." + </p> + <p> + So she found that he spoke but the sooth, and she paid heed to his words, + and arose, and greeted him meetly, and he abode there three nights, and + they lay in one bed together; but he took the sword Gram and laid it + betwixt them: then she asked him why he laid it there; and he answered, + that in that wise must he needs wed his wife or else get his bane. + </p> + <p> + Then she took from off her the ring Andvari's-loom, which he had given her + aforetime, and gave it to him, but he gave her another ring out of + Fafnir's hoard. + </p> + <p> + Thereafter he rode away through the same fire unto his fellows, and he and + Gunnar changed semblances again, and rode unto Hlymdale, and told how it + had gone with them. + </p> + <p> + That same day went Brynhild home to her foster-father, and tells him as + one whom she trusted, how that there had come a king to her; "And he rode + through my flaming fire, and said he was come to woo me, and named himself + Gunnar; but I said that such a deed might Sigurd alone have done, with + whom I plighted troth on the mountain; and he is my first troth-plight, + and my well-beloved." + </p> + <p> + Heimir said that things must needs abide even as now they had now come to + pass. + </p> + <p> + Brynhild said, "Aslaug the daughter of me and Sigurd shall be nourished + here with thee." + </p> + <p> + Now the kings fare home, but Brynhild goes to her father; Grimhild + welcomes the kings meetly, and thanks Sigurd for his fellowship; and + withal is a great feast made, and many were the guests thereat; and + thither came Budli the King with his daughter Brynhild, and his son Atli, + and for many days did the feast endure: and at that feast was Gunnar + wedded to Brynhild: but when it was brought to an end, once more has + Sigurd memory of all the oaths that he sware unto Brynhild, yet withal he + let all things abide in rest and peace. + </p> + <p> + Brynhild and Gunnar sat together in great game and glee, and drank goodly + wine. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0028" id="link2HCH0028"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVIII. How the Queens held angry converse together at the + Bathing. + </h2> + <p> + On a day as the Queens went to the river to bathe them, Brynhild waded the + farthest out into the river; then asked Gudrun what that deed might + signify. + </p> + <p> + Brynhild said, "Yea, and why then should I be equal to thee in this matter + more than in others? I am minded to think that my father is mightier than + thine, and my true love has wrought many wondrous works of fame, and hath + ridden the flaming fire withal, while thy husband was but the thrall of + King Hjalprek." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answered full of wrath, "Thou wouldst be wise if thou shouldst hold + thy peace rather than revile my husband: lo now, the talk of all men it + is, that none has ever abode in this world like unto him in all matters + soever; and little it beseems thee of all folk to mock him who was thy + first beloved: and Fafnir he slew, yea, and he rode thy flaming fire, + whereas thou didst deem that he was Gunnar the King, and by thy side he + lay, and took from thine hand the ring Andvari's-loom;—here mayst + thou well behold it!" + </p> + <p> + Then Brynhild saw the ring and knew it, and waxed as wan as a dead woman, + and she went home and spake no word the evening long. + </p> + <p> + So when Sigurd came to bed to Gudrun she asked him why Brynhild's joy was + so departed. + </p> + <p> + He answered, "I know not, but sore I misdoubt me that soon we shall know + thereof overwell." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun said, "Why may she not love her life, having wealth and bliss, and + the praise of all men, and the man withal that she would have?" + </p> + <p> + "Ah, yea!" said Sigurd, "and where in all the world was she then, when she + said that she deemed she had the noblest of all men, and the dearest to + her heart of all?" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Tomorn will I ask her concerning this, who is the liefest + to her of all men for a husband." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "Needs must I forbid thee this, and full surely wilt thou rue + the deed if thou doest it." + </p> + <p> + Now the next morning they sat in the bower, and Brynhild was silent; then + spake Gudrun— + </p> + <p> + "Be merry, Brynhild! Grievest thou because of that speech of ours + together, or what other thing slayeth thy bliss?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "With naught but evil intent thou sayest this, for a + cruel heart thou hast." + </p> + <p> + "Say not so," said Gudrun; "but rather tell me all the tale." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Ask such things only as are good for thee to know—matters + meet for mighty dames. Good to love good things when all goes according to + thy heart's desire!" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "Early days for me to glory in that; but this word of thine + looketh toward some foreseeing. What ill dost thou thrust at us? I did + naught to grieve thee." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "For this shalt thou pay, in that thou hast got Sigurd + to thee,—nowise can I see thee living in the bliss thereof, whereas + thou hast him, and the wealth and the might of him." + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun answered, "Naught knew I of your words and vows together; and + well might my father look to the mating of me without dealing with thee + first." + </p> + <p> + "No secret speech had we," quoth Brynhild, "though we swore oath together; + and full well didst thou know that thou wentest about to beguile me; + verily thou shalt have thy reward!" + </p> + <p> + Says Gudrun, "Thou art mated better than thou are worthy of; but thy pride + and rage shall be hard to slake belike, and therefor shall many a man + pay." + </p> + <p> + "Ah, I should be well content," said Brynhild, "if thou hadst not the + nobler man!" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "So noble a husband hast thou, that who knows of a greater + king or a lord of more wealth and might?" + </p> + <p> + Says Brynhild, "Sigurd slew Fafnir, and that only deed is of more worth + than all the might of King Gunnar." + </p> + <p> + (Even as the song says): + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "The worm Sigurd slew, + Nor e'er shall that deed + Be worsened by age + While the world is alive: + But thy brother the King + Never durst, never bore + The flame to ride down + Through the fire to fare." +</pre> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Grani would not abide the fire under Gunnar the King, but + Sigurd durst the deed, and thy heart may well abide without mocking him." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Nowise will I hide from thee that I deem no good of + Grimhild." + </p> + <p> + Says Gudrun, "Nay, lay no ill words on her, for in all things she is to + thee as to her own daughter." + </p> + <p> + "Ah," says Brynhild, "she is the beginning of all this hale that biteth + so; an evil drink she bare to Sigurd, so that he had no more memory of my + very name." + </p> + <p> + "All wrong thou talkest; a lie without measure is this," quoth Gudrun. + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "Have thou joy of Sigurd according to the measure of + the wiles wherewith ye have beguiled me! Unworthily have ye conspired + against me; may all things go with you as my heart hopes!" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "More joy shall I have of him than thy wish would give unto + me: but to no man's mind it came, that he had aforetime his pleasure of + me; nay not once." + </p> + <p> + "Evil speech thou speakest," says Brynhild; "when thy wrath runs off thou + wilt rue it; but come now, let us no more cast angry words one at the + other!" + </p> + <p> + Says Gudrun, "Thou wert the first to cast such words at me, and now thou + makest as if thou wouldst amend it, but a cruel and hard heart abides + behind." + </p> + <p> + "Let us lay aside vain babble," says Brynhild. "Long did I hold my peace + concerning my sorrow of heart, and, lo now, thy brother alone do I love; + let us fall to other talk." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun said, "Far beyond all this doth thine heart look." + </p> + <p> + And so ugly ill befell from that going to the river, and that knowing of + the ring, wherefrom did all their talk arise. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0029" id="link2HCH0029"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIX. Of Brynhild's great Grief and Mourning. + </h2> + <p> + After this talk Brynhild lay a-bed, and tidings were brought to King + Gunnar that Brynhild was sick; he goes to see her thereon, and asks what + ails her; but she answered him naught, but lay there as one dead: and when + he was hard on her for an answer, she said— + </p> + <p> + "What didst thou with that ring that I gave thee, even the one which King + Budli gave me at our last parting, when thou and King Giuki came to him + and threatened fire and the sword, unless ye had me to wife? Yea, at that + time he led me apart, and asked me which I had chosen of those who were + come; but I prayed him that I might abide to ward the land and be chief + over the third part of his men; then were there two choices for me to deal + betwixt, either that I should be wedded to him whom he would, or lose all + my weal and friendship at his hands; and he said withal that his + friendship would be better to me than his wrath: then I bethought me + whether I should yield to his will, or slay many a man; and therewithal I + deemed that it would avail little to strive with him, and so it fell out, + that I promised to wed whomsoever should ride the horse Grani with + Fafnir's Hoard, and ride through my flaming fire, and slay those men whom + I called on him to slay, and now so it was, that none durst ride, save + Sigurd only, because he lacked no heart thereto; yea, and the Worm he + slew, and Regin, and five kings beside; but thou, Gunnar, durst do naught; + as pale as a dead man didst thou wax, and no king thou art, and no + champion; so whereas I made a vow unto my father, that him alone would I + love who was the noblest man alive, and that this is none save Sigurd, lo, + now have I broken my oath and brought it to naught, since he is none of + mine, and for this cause shall I compass thy death; and a great reward of + evil things have I wherewith to reward Grimhild;—never, I wot, has + woman lived eviler or of lesser heart than she." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar answered in such wise that few might hear him, "Many a vile word + hast thou spoken, and an evil-hearted woman art thou, whereas thou + revilest a woman far better than thou; never would she curse her life as + thou dost; nay, nor has she tormented dead folk, or murdered any; but + lives her life well praised of all." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "Never have I dwelt with evil things privily, or done + loathsome deeds;—yet most fain I am to slay thee." + </p> + <p> + And therewith would she slay King Gunnar, but Hogni laid her in fetters; + but then Gunnar spake withal— + </p> + <p> + "Nay, I will not that she abide in fetters." + </p> + <p> + Then said she, "Heed it not! For never again seest thou me glad in thine + hall, never drinking, never at the chess-play, never speaking the words of + kindness, never over-laying the fair cloths with gold, never giving thee + good counsel;—ah, my sorrow of heart that I might not get Sigurd to + me!" + </p> + <p> + Then she sat up and smote her needlework, and rent it asunder, and bade + set open her bower doors, that far away might the wailings of her sorrow + be heard; then great mourning and lamentation there was, so that folk + heard it far and wide through that abode. + </p> + <p> + Now Gudrun asked her bower-maidens why they sat so joyless and downcast. + "What has come to you, that ye fare ye as witless women, or what + unheard-of wonders have befallen you?" + </p> + <p> + Then answered a waiting lady, hight Swaflod, "An untimely, an evil day it + is, and our hall is fulfilled of lamentation." + </p> + <p> + Then spake Gudrun to one of her handmaids, "Arise, for we have slept long; + go, wake Brynhild, and let us fall to our needlework and be merry." + </p> + <p> + "Nay, nay," she says, "nowise may I wake her, or talk with her; for many + days has she drunk neither mead nor wine; surely the wrath of the Gods has + fallen upon her." + </p> + <p> + Then spake Gudrun to Gunnar, "Go and see her," she says, "and bid her know + that I am grieved with her grief." + </p> + <p> + "Nay," says Gunnar, "I am forbid to go see her or to share her weal." + </p> + <p> + Nevertheless he went unto her, and strives in many wise to have speech of + her, but gets no answer whatsoever; therefore he gets him gone and finds + Hogni, and bids him go see her: he said he was loth thereto, but went, and + gat no more of her. + </p> + <p> + Then they go and find Sigurd, and pray him to visit her; he answered + naught thereto, and so matters abode for that night. + </p> + <p> + But the next day, when he came home from hunting, Sigurd went to Gudrun, + and spake— + </p> + <p> + "In such wise do matters show to me, as though great and evil things will + betide from this trouble and upheaving; and that Brynhild will surely + die." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "O my lord, by great wonders is she encompassed, seven + days and seven nights has she slept, and none has dared wake her." + </p> + <p> + "Nay, she sleeps not," said Sigurd, "her heart is dealing rather with + dreadful intent against me." + </p> + <p> + Then said Gudrun, weeping, "Woe worth the while for thy death! Go and see + her; and wot if her fury may not be abated; give her gold, and smother up + her grief and anger therewith!" + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd went out, and found the door of Brynhild's chamber open; he + deemed she slept, and drew the clothes from off her, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Awake, Brynhild! The sun shineth now over all the house, and thou hast + slept enough; cast off grief from thee, and take up gladness!" + </p> + <p> + She said, "And how then hast thou dared to come to me? in this treason + none was worse to me than thou." + </p> + <p> + Said Sigurd, "Why wilt thou not speak to folk? for what cause sorrowest + thou?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Ah, to thee will I tell of my wrath!" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "As one under a spell art thou, if thou deemest that there is + aught cruel in my heart against thee; but thou hast him for husband whom + thou didst choose." + </p> + <p> + "Ah, nay," she said, "never did Gunnar ride through the fire to me, nor + did he give me to dower the host of the slain: I wondered at the man who + came into my hall; for I deemed indeed that I knew thine eyes; but I might + not see clearly, or divide the good from the evil, because of the veil + that lay heavy on my fortune." + </p> + <p> + Says Sigurd, "No nobler men are there than the sons of Giuki, they slew + the king of the Danes, and that great chief, the brother of King Budli." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "Surely for many an ill-deed must I reward them; mind + me not of my griefs against them! But thou, Sigurd, slewest the Worm, and + rodest the fire through; yea, and for my sake, and not one of the sons of + King Giuki." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answers, "I am not thy husband, and thou art not my wife; yet did a + farfamed king pay dower to thee." + </p> + <p> + Says Brynhild, "Never looked I at Gunnar in such a wise that my heart + smiled on him; and hard and fell am I to him, though I hide it from + others." + </p> + <p> + "A marvellous thing," says Sigurd, "not to love such a king; what angers + thee most? for surely his love should be better to thee than gold." + </p> + <p> + "This is the sorest sorrow to me," she said, "that the bitter sword is not + reddened in thy blood." + </p> + <p> + "Have no fear thereof!" says he, "no long while to wait or the bitter + sword stand deep in my heart; and no worse needest thou to pray for + thyself, for thou wilt not live when I am dead; the days of our two lives + shall be few enough from henceforth." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Enough and to spare of bale is in thy speech, since + thou bewrayedst me, and didst twin (1) me and all bliss;—naught do I + heed my life or death." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answers, "Ah, live, and love King Gunnar and me withal! and all my + wealth will I give thee if thou die not." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Thou knowest me not, nor the heart that is in me; for + thou art the first and best of all men, and I am become the most loathsome + of all women to thee." + </p> + <p> + "This is truer," says Sigurd, "that I loved thee better than myself, + though I fell into the wiles from whence our lives may not escape; for + whenso my own heart and mind availed me, then I sorrowed sore that thou + wert not my wife; but as I might I put my trouble from me, for in a king's + dwelling was I; and withal and in spite of all I was well content that we + were all together. Well may it be, that that shall come to pass which is + foretold; neither shall I fear the fulfilment thereof." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, and said, "Too late thou tellest me that my grief + grieved thee: little pity shall I find now." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "This my heart would, that thou and I should go into one bed + together; even so wouldst thou be my wife." + </p> + <p> + Said Brynhild, "Such words may nowise be spoken, nor will I have two kings + in one hall; I will lay my life down rather than beguile Gunnar the King." + </p> + <p> + And therewith she call to mind how they met, they two, on the mountain, + and swore oath each to each. + </p> + <p> + "But now is all changed, and I will not live." + </p> + <p> + "I might not call to mind thy name," said Sigurd, "or know thee again, + before the time of thy wedding; the greatest of all griefs is that." + </p> + <p> + Then said Brynhild, "I swore an oath to wed the man who should ride my + flaming fire, and that oath will I hold to, or die." + </p> + <p> + "Rather than thou die, I will wed thee, and put away Gudrun," said Sigurd. + </p> + <p> + But therewithal so swelled the heart betwixt the sides of him, that the + rings of his byrny burst asunder. + </p> + <p> + "I will not have thee," says Brynhild, "nay, nor any other!" + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd got him gone. + </p> + <p> + So saith the song of Sigurd— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Out then went Sigurd, + The great kings' well-loved, + From the speech and the sorrow, + Sore drooping, so grieving, + That the shirt round about him + Of iron rings woven, + From the sides brake asunder + Of the brave in the battle." +</pre> + <p> + So when Sigurd came into the hall, Gunnar asked if he had come to a + knowledge of what great grief lay heavy on her, or if she had power of + speech: and Sigurd said that she lacked it not. So now Gunnar goes to her + again, and asked her, what wrought her woe, or if there were anything that + might amend it. + </p> + <p> + "I will not live," says Brynhild, "for Sigurd has bewrayed me, yea, and + thee no less, whereas thou didst suffer him to come into my bed: lo thou, + two men in one dwelling I will not have; and this shall be Sigurd's death, + or thy death, or my death;—for now has he told Gudrun all, and she + is mocking me even now!" + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Sunder. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0030" id="link2HCH0030"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXX. Of the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + </h2> + <p> + Thereafter Brynhild went out, and sat under her bower-wall, and had many + words of wailing to say, and still she cried that all things were + loathsome to her, both land and lordship alike, so she might not have + Sigurd. + </p> + <p> + But therewith came Gunnar to her yet again, and Brynhild spake, "Thou + shalt lose both realm and wealth, and thy life and me, for I shall fare + home to my kin, and abide there in sorrow, unless thou slayest Sigurd and + his son; never nourish thou a wolfcub." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar grew sick at heart thereat, and might nowise see what fearful thing + lay beneath it all; he was bound to Sigurd by oath, and this way and that + way swung the heart within him; but at the last he bethought him of the + measureless shame if his wife went from him, and he said within himself, + "Brynhild is better to me than all things else, and the fairest woman of + all women, and I will lay down my life rather than lose the love of her." + And herewith he called to him his brother and spake,— + </p> + <p> + "Trouble is heavy on me," and he tells him that he must needs slay Sigurd, + for that he has failed him where in he trusted him; "so let us be lords of + the gold and the realm withal." + </p> + <p> + Hogni answers, "Ill it behoves us to break our oaths with wrack and wrong, + and withal great aid we have in him; no kings shall be as great as we, if + so be the King of the Hun-folk may live; such another brother-in-law never + may we get again; bethink thee how good it is to have such a + brother-in-law, and such sons to our sister! But well I see how things + stand, for this has Brynhild stirred thee up to, and surely shall her + counsel drag us into huge shame and scathe." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar says, "Yet shall it be brought about: and, lo, a rede thereto;—let + us egg on our brother Guttorm to the deed; he is young, and of little + knowledge, and is clean out of all the oaths moreover." + </p> + <p> + "Ah, set about in ill wise," says Hogni, "and though indeed it may well be + compassed, a due reward shall we gain for the bewrayal of such a man as is + Sigurd." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar says, "Sigurd shall die, or I shall die." + </p> + <p> + And therewith he bids Brynhild arise and be glad at heart: so she arose, + and still ever she said that Gunnar should come no more into her bed till + the deed was done. + </p> + <p> + So the brothers fall to talk, and Gunnar says that it is a deed well + worthy of death, that taking of Brynhild's maidenhead; "So come now, let + us prick on Guttorm to do the deed." + </p> + <p> + Therewith they call him to them, and offer him gold and great dominion, as + they well have might to do. Yea, and they took a certain worm and somewhat + of wolf's flesh and let seethe them together, and gave him to eat of the + same, even as the singer sings— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Fish of the wild-wood, + Worm smooth crawling, + With wolf-meat mingled, + They minced for Guttorm; + Then in the beaker, + In the wine his mouth knew, + They set it, still doing + More deeds of wizards. +</pre> + <p> + Wherefore with the eating of this meat he grew so wild and eager, and with + all things about him, and with the heavy words of Grimhild, that he gave + his word to do the deed; and mighty honour they promised him in reward + thereof. + </p> + <p> + But of these evil wiles naught at all knew Sigurd, for he might not deal + with his shapen fate, nor the measure of his life-days, neither deemed he + that he was worthy of such things at their hands. + </p> + <p> + So Guttorm went in to Sigurd the next morning as he lay upon his bed, yet + durst he not do aught against him, but shrank back out again; yea, and + even so he fared a second time, for so bright and eager were the eyes of + Sigurd that few durst look upon him. But the third time he went in, and + there lay Sigurd asleep; then Guttorm drew his sword and thrust Sigurd + through in such wise that the sword point smote into the bed beneath him; + then Sigurd awoke with that wound, and Guttorm gat him unto the door; but + therewith Sigurd caught up the sword Gram, and cast it after him, and it + smote him on the back, and struck him asunder in the midst, so that the + feet of him fell one way, and the head and hands back into the chamber. + </p> + <p> + Now Gudrun lay asleep on Sigurd's bosom, but she woke up unto woe that may + not be told of, all swimming in the blood of him, and in such wise did she + bewail her with weeping and words of sorrow, that Sigurd rose up on the + bolster, and spake. + </p> + <p> + "Weep not," said he, "for thy brothers live for thy delight; but a young + son have I, too young to be ware of his foes; and an ill turn have these + played against their own fortune; for never will they get a mightier + brother-in-law to ride abroad with them; nay, nor a better son to their + sister, than this one, if he may grow to man's estate. Lo, now is that + come to pass which was foretold me long ago, but from mine eyes has it + been hidden, for none may fight against his fate and prevail. Behold this + has Brynhild brought to pass, even she who loves me before all men; but + this may I swear, that never have I wrought ill to Gunnar, but rather have + ever held fast to my oath with him, nor was I ever too much a friend to + his wife. And now if I had been forewarned, and had been afoot with my + weapons, then should many a man have lost his life or ever I had fallen, + and all those brethren should have been slain, and a harder work would the + slaying of me have been than the slaying of the mightiest bull or the + mightiest boar of the wild-wood." + </p> + <p> + And even therewithal life left the King; but Gudrun moaned and drew a + weary breath, and Brynhild heard it, and laughed when she heard her + moaning. + </p> + <p> + Then said Gunnar, "Thou laughest not because thy heart-roots are + gladdened, or else why doth thy visage wax so wan? Sure an evil creature + thou art; most like thou art nigh to thy death! Lo now, how meet would it + be for thee to behold thy brother Atli slain before thine eyes, and that + thou shouldst stand over him dead; whereas we must needs now stand over + our brother-in-law in such a case, our brother-in-law and our brother's + bane." + </p> + <p> + She answered, "None need mock at the measure of slaughter being + unfulfilled; yet heedeth not Atli your wrath or your threats; yea, he + shall live longer than ye, and be a mightier man." + </p> + <p> + Hogni spake and said, "Now hath come to pass the soothsaying of Brynhild; + an ill work not to be atoned for." + </p> + <p> + And Gudrun said, "My kinsmen have slain my husband; but ye, when ye next + ride to the war and are come into the battle, then shall ye look about and + see that Sigurd is neither on the right hand nor the left, and ye shall + know that he was your good-hap and your strength; and if he had lived and + had sons, then should ye have been strengthened by his offspring and his + kin." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0031" id="link2HCH0031"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXI. Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd dead, as it is told + told in ancient Songs. (1) + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Gudrun of old days + Drew near to dying + As she sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Yet she sighed not + Nor smote hand on hand, + Nor wailed she aught + As other women. + + Then went earls to her. + Full of all wisdom, + Fain help to deal + To her dreadful heart: + Hushed was Gudrun + Of wail, or greeting, + But with a heavy woe + Was her heart a-breaking. + + Bright and fair + Sat the great earls' brides, + Gold arrayed + Before Gudrun; + Each told the tale + Of her great trouble, + The bitterest bale + She erst abode. + + Then spake Giaflaug, + Giuki's sister: + "Lo upon earth + I live most loveless + Who of five mates + Must see the ending, + Of daughters twain + And three sisters, + Of brethren eight, + And abide behind lonely." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail and greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Herborg + Queen of Hunland— + "Crueller tale + Have I to tell of, + Of my seven sons + Down in the Southlands, + And the eighth man, my mate, + Felled in the death-mead. + + "Father and mother, + And four brothers, + On the wide sea + The winds and death played with; + The billows beat + On the bulwark boards. + + "Alone must I sing o'er them, + Alone must I array them, + Alone must my hands deal with + Their departing; + And all this was + In one season's wearing, + And none was left + For love or solace. + + "Then was I bound + A prey of the battle, + When that same season + Wore to its ending; + As a tiring may + Must I bind the shoon + Of the duke's high dame, + Every day at dawning. + + "From her jealous hate + Gat I heavy mocking, + Cruel lashes + She laid upon me, + Never met I + Better master + Or mistress worser + In all the wide world." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail or greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter— + "O foster-mother, + Wise as thou mayst be, + Naught canst thou better + The young wife's bale." + And she bade uncover + The dead King's corpse. + + She swept the sheet + Away from Sigurd, + And turned his cheek + Towards his wife's knees— + "Look on thy loved one + Lay lips to his lips, + E'en as thou wert clinging + To thy king alive yet!" + + Once looked Gudrun— + One look only, + And saw her lord's locks + Lying all bloody, + The great man's eyes + Glazed and deadly, + And his heart's bulwark + Broken by sword-edge. + + Back then sank Gudrun, + Back on the bolster, + Loosed was her head array, + Red did her cheeks grow, + And the rain-drops ran + Down over her knees. + + Then wept Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + So that the tears flowed + Through the pillow; + As the geese withal + That were in the homefield, + The fair fowls the may owned, + Fell a-screaming. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter— + "Surely knew I + No love like your love + Among all men, + On the mould abiding; + Naught wouldst thou joy in + Without or within doors, + O my sister, + Save beside Sigurd." + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter— + "Such was my Sigurd + Among the sons of Giuki, + As is the king leek + O'er the low grass waxing, + Or a bright stone + Strung on band, + Or a pearl of price + On a prince's brow. + + "Once was I counted + By the king's warriors + Higher than any + Of Herjan's mays; + Now am I as little + As the leaf may be, + Amid wind-swept wood + Now when dead he lieth. + + I miss from my seat, + I miss from my bed, + My darling of sweet speech. + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + This sore sorrow, + Yea, for their sister, + Most sore sorrow. + + "So may your lands + Lie waste on all sides, + As ye have broken + Your bounden oaths! + Ne'er shalt thou, Gunnar, + The gold have joy of; + The dear-bought rings + Shall drag thee to death, + Whereon thou swarest + Oath unto Sigurd. + + Ah, in the days by-gone + Great mirth in the homefield + When my Sigurd + Set saddle on Grani, + And they went their ways + For the wooing of Brynhild! + An ill day, an ill woman, + And most ill hap!" + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter— + "May the woman lack + Both love and children, + Who gained greeting + For thee, O Gudrun! + Who gave thee this morning + Many words!" + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter— + "Hold peace of such words + Thou hated of all folk! + The bane of brave men + Hast thou been ever, + All waves of ill + Wash over thy mind, + To seven great kings + Hast thou been a sore sorrow, + And the death of good will + To wives and women." + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter— + "None but Atli + Brought bale upon us, + My very brother + Born of Budli. + + When we saw in the hall + Of the Hunnish people + The gold a-gleaming + On the kingly Giukings; + I have paid for that faring + Oft and full, + And for the sight + That then I saw." + + By a pillar she stood + And strained its wood to her; + From the eyes of Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Flashed out fire, + And she snorted forth venom, + As the sore wounds she gazed on + Of the dead-slain Sigurd. +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is the Eddaic poem, called the first Lay of + Gudrun, inserted here by the translators. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0032" id="link2HCH0032"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXII. Of the Ending of Brynhild. + </h2> + <h3> + And now none might know for what cause Brynhild must bewail with weeping + for what she had prayed for with laughter: but she spake— + </h3> + <p> + "Such a dream I had, Gunnar, as that my bed was acold, and that thou didst + ride into the hands of thy foes: lo now, ill shall it go with thee and all + thy kin, O ye breakers of oaths; for on the day thou slayedst him, dimly + didst thou remember how thou didst blend thy blood with the blood of + Sigurd, and with an ill reward hast thou rewarded him for all that he did + well to thee; whereas he gave unto thee to be the mightiest of men; and + well was it proven how fast he held to his oath sworn, when he came to me + and laid betwixt us the sharp-edged sword that in venom had been made + hard. All too soon did ye fall to working wrong against him and against + me, whenas I abode at home with my father, and had all that I would, and + had no will that any one of you should be any of mine, as ye rode into our + garth, ye three kings together; but then Atli led me apart privily, and + asked me if I would not have him who rode Grani; yea, a man nowise like + unto you; but in those days I plighted myself to the son of King Sigmund + and no other; and lo, now, no better shall ye fare for the death of me." + </p> + <p> + Then rose up Gunnar, and laid his arms about her neck, and besought her to + live and have wealth from him; and all others in likewise letted her from + dying; but she thrust them all from her, and said that it was not the part + of any to let her in that which was her will. + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar called to Hogni, and prayed him for counsel, and bade him go + to her, and see if he might perchance soften her dreadful heart, saying + withal, that now they had need enough on their hands in the slaking of her + grief, till time might get over. + </p> + <p> + But Hogni answered, "Nay, let no man hinder her from dying; for no gain + will she be to us, nor has she been gainsome since she came hither! + </p> + <p> + Now she bade bring forth much gold, and bade all those come thither who + would have wealth: then she caught up a sword, and thrust it under her + armpit, and sank aside upon the pillows, and said, "Come, take gold whoso + will!" + </p> + <p> + But all held their peace, and she said, "Take the gold, and be glad + thereof!" + </p> + <p> + And therewith she spake unto Gunnar, "Now for a little while will I tell + of that which shall come to pass hereafter; for speedily shall ye be at + one again with Gudrun by the rede of Grimhild the Wise-wife; and the + daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd shall be called Swanhild, the fairest of all + women born. Gudrun shall be given to Atli, yet not with her good will. + Thou shalt be fain to get Oddrun, but that shall Atli forbid thee; but + privily shall ye meet, and much shall she love thee. Atli shall bewray + thee, and cast thee into a worm-close, and thereafter shall Atli and his + sons be slain, and Gudrun shall be their slayer; and afterwards shall the + great waves bear her to the burg of King Jonakr, to whom she shall bear + sons of great fame: Swanhild shall be sent from the land and given to King + Jormunrek; and her shall bite the rede of Bikki, and therewithal is the + kin of you clean gone; and more sorrows therewith for Gudrun. + </p> + <p> + "And now I pray thee, Gunnar, one last boon.—Let make a great bale + on the plain meads for all of us; for me, and for Sigurd, and for those + who were slain with him, and let that be covered over with cloth dyed red + by the folk of the Gauls, (1) and burn me thereon on one side of the King + of the Huns, and on the other those men of mine, two at the head and two + at the feet, and two hawks withal; and even so is all shared equally; and + lay there betwixt us a drawn sword, as in the other days when we twain + stepped into one bed together; and then may we have the name of man and + wife, nor shall the door swing to at the heel of him as I go behind him. + Nor shall that be a niggard company if there follow him those five + bond-women and eight bondmen, whom my father gave me, and those burn there + withal who were slain with Sigurd. + </p> + <p> + "Now more yet would I say, but for my wounds, but my life-breath flits; + the wounds open,—yet have I said sooth." + </p> + <p> + Now is the dead corpse of Sigurd arrayed in olden wise, and a mighty bale + is raised, and when it was somewhat kindled, there was laid thereon the + dead corpse of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and his son of three winters whom + Brynhild had let slay, and Guttorm withal; and when the bale was all + ablaze, thereunto was Brynhild borne out, when she had spoken with her + bower-maidens, and bid them take the gold that she would give; and then + died Brynhild, and was burned there by the side of Sigurd, and thus their + life-days ended. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "raudu manna blodi", red-dyed in the blood + of men; the Sagaman's original error in dealing with the + word "Valaript" in the corresponding passage of the short + lay of Sigurd.—Tr. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0033" id="link2HCH0033"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIII. Gudrun wedded to Atli. + </h2> + <p> + Now so it is, that whoso heareth these tidings sayeth, that no such an one + as was Sigurd was left behind him in the world, nor ever was such a man + brought forth because of all the worth of him, nor may his name ever + minish by eld in the Dutch Tongue nor in all the Northern Lands, while the + world standeth fast. + </p> + <p> + The story tells that, on a day, as Gudrun sat in her bower, she fell to + saying, "Better was life in those days when I had Sigurd; he who was far + above other men as gold is above iron, or the leek over other grass of the + field, or the hart over other wild things; until my brethren begrudged me + such a man, the first and best of all men; and so they might not sleep or + they had slain him. Huge clamour made Grani when he saw his master and + lord sore wounded, and then I spoke to him even as with a man, but he fell + drooping down to the earth, for he knew that Sigurd was slain." + </p> + <p> + Thereafter Gudrun gat her gone into the wild woods, and heard on all ways + round about her the howling of wolves, and deemed death a merrier thing + than life. Then she went till she came to the hall of King Alf, and sat + there in Denmark with Thora, the daughter of Hakon, for seven seasons, and + abode with good welcome. And she set forth her needlework before her, and + did thereinto many deeds and great, and fair plays after the fashion of + those days, swords and byrnies, and all the gear of kings, and the ship of + King Sigmund sailing along the land; yea, and they wrought there, how they + fought, Sigar and Siggeir, south in Fion. Such was their disport; and now + Gudrun was somewhat solaced of her grief. + </p> + <p> + So Grimhild comes to hear where Gudrun has take up her abode, and she + calls her sons to talk with her, and asks whether they will make atonement + to Gudrun for her son and her husband, and said that it was but meet and + right to do so. + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar spake, and said that he would atone for her sorrows with gold. + </p> + <p> + So they send for their friends, and array their horses, their helms, and + their shields, and their byrnies, and all their war-gear; and their + journey was furnished forth in the noblest wise, and no champion who was + of the great men might abide at home; and their horses were clad in + mail-coats, and every knight of them had his helm done over with gold or + with silver. + </p> + <p> + Grimhild was of their company, for she said that their errand would never + be brought fairly to pass if she sat at home. + </p> + <p> + There were well five hundred men, and noble men rode with them. There was + Waldemar of Denmark, and Eymod and Jarisleif withal. So they went into the + hall of King Alf, and there abode them the Longbeards and Franks, and + Saxons: they fared with all their war-gear, and had over them red + fur-coats. Even as the song says— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Byrnies short cut, + Strong helms hammered, + Girt with good swords, + Red hair gleaming." +</pre> + <p> + They were fain to choose good gifts for their sister, and spake softly to + her, but in none of them would she trow. Then Gunnar brought unto her a + drink mingled with hurtful things, and this she must needs drink, and with + the drinking thereof she had no more memory of their guilt against her. + </p> + <p> + But in that drink was blended the might of the earth and the sea with the + blood of her son; and in that horn were all letters cut and reddened with + blood, as is said hereunder— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "On the horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that beer were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood + And brown-burnt acorns, + The black dew of the hearth, + The God-doomed dead beast's inwards, + And the swine's liver sodden + Because all wrongs that deadens. +</pre> + <p> + And so now, when their hearts are brought anigh to each other, great cheer + they made: then came Grimhild to Gudrun, and spake: + </p> + <p> + "All hail to thee, daughter! I give thee gold and all kinds of good things + to take to thee after thy father, dear-bought rings and bed-gear of the + maids of the Huns, the most courteous and well dight of all women; and + thus is thy husband atoned for: and thereafter shalt thou be given to + Atli, the mighty king, and be mistress of all his might. Cast not all thy + friends aside for one man's sake, but do according to our bidding." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Never will I wed Atli the King: unseemly it is for us to + get offspring betwixt us." + </p> + <p> + Grimhild says, "Nourish not thy wrath; it shall be to thee as if Sigurd + and Sigmund were alive when thou hast borne sons." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "I cannot take my heart from thoughts of him, for he was the + first of all men." + </p> + <p> + Grimhild says, "So it is shapen that thou must have this king and none + else." + </p> + <p> + Says Gudrun, "Give not this man to me, for an evil thing shall come upon + thy kin from him, and to his own sons shall he deal evil, and be rewarded + with a grim revenge thereafter." + </p> + <p> + Then waxed Grimhild fell at those words, and spake, "Do even as we bid + thee, and take therefore great honour, and our friendship, and the steads + withal called Vinbjorg and Valbjorg." + </p> + <p> + And such might was in the words of her, that even so must it come to pass. + </p> + <p> + Then Gudrun spake, "Thus then must it needs befall, howsoever against the + will of me, and for little joy shall it be and for great grief." + </p> + <p> + Then men leaped on their horses, and their women were set in wains. So + they fared four days a-riding and other four a-shipboard, and yet four + more again by land and road, till at the last they came to a certain + high-built hall; then came to meet Gudrun many folk thronging; and an + exceedingly goodly feast was there made, even as the word had gone between + either kin, and it passed forth in most proud and stately wise. And at + that feast drinks Atli his bridal with Gudrun; but never did her heart + laugh on him, and little sweet and kind was their life together. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0034" id="link2HCH0034"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIV. Atli bids the Giukings to him. + </h2> + <h3> + Now tells the tale that on a night King Atli woke from sleep and spake to + Gudrun— + </h3> + <p> + "Medreamed," said he, "that thou didst thrust me through with a sword." + </p> + <p> + Then Gudrun areded the dream, and said that it betokened fire, whenas folk + dreamed of iron. "It befalls of thy pride belike, in that thou deemest + thyself the first of men." + </p> + <p> + Atli said, "Moreover I dreamed that here waxed two sorb-tree (1) saplings, + and fain I was that they should have no scathe of me; then these were + riven up by the roots and reddened with blood, and borne to the bench, and + I was bidden eat thereof. + </p> + <p> + "Yea, yet again I dreamed that two hawks flew from my hand hungry and + unfed, and fared to hell, and meseemed their hearts were mingled with + honey, and that I ate thereof. + </p> + <p> + "And then again I dreamed that two fair whelps lay before me yelling + aloud, and that the flesh of them I ate, though my will went not with the + eating." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "Nowise good are these dreams, yet shall they come to pass; + surely thy sons are nigh to death, and many heavy things shall fall upon + us." + </p> + <p> + "Yet again I dreamed," said he, "and methought I lay in a bath, and folk + took counsel to slay me." + </p> + <p> + Now these things wear away with time, but in nowise was their life + together fond. + </p> + <p> + Now falls Atli to thinking of where may be gotten that plenteous gold + which Sigurd had owned, but King Gunnar and his brethren were lords + thereof now. + </p> + <p> + Atli was a great king and mighty, wise, and a lord of many men; and now he + falls to counsel with his folk as to the ways of them. He wotted well that + Gunnar and his brethren had more wealth than any others might have, and so + he falls to the rede of sending men to them, and bidding them to a great + feast, and honouring them in diverse wise, and the chief of those + messengers was hight Vingi. + </p> + <p> + Now the queen wots of their conspiring, and misdoubts her that this would + mean some beguiling of her brethren: so she cut runes, and took a gold + ring, and knit therein a wolf's hair, and gave it into the hands of the + king's messengers. + </p> + <p> + Thereafter they go their ways according to the king's bidding; and or ever + they came aland Vingi beheld the runes, and turned them about in such wise + as if Gudrun prayed her brethren in her runes to go meet King Atli. + </p> + <p> + Thereafter they came to the hall of King Gunnar, and had good welcome at + his hands, and great fires were made for them, and in great joyance they + drank of the best of drink. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Vingi, "King Atli sends me hither, and is fain that ye go to + his house and home in all glory, and take of him exceeding honours, helms + and shields, swords and byrnies, gold and goodly raiment, horses, hosts of + war, and great and wide lands, for, saith he, he is fainest of all things + to bestow his realm and lordship upon you." + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar turned his head aside, and spoke to Hogni— + </p> + <p> + "In what wise shall we take this bidding? might and wealth he bids us + take; but no kings know I who have so much gold as we have, whereas we + have all the hoard which lay once on Gnitaheath; and great are our + chambers, and full of gold, and weapons for smiting, and all kinds of + raiment of war, and well I wot that amidst all men my horse is the best, + and my sword the sharpest, and my gold the most glorious." + </p> + <p> + Hogni answers, "A marvel is it to me of his bidding, for seldom hath he + done in such a wise, and ill-counselled will it be to wend to him; lo now, + when I saw those dear-bought things the king sends us I wondered to behold + a wolf's hair knit to a certain gold ring; belike Gudrun deems him to be + minded as a wolf towards us, and will have naught of our faring." + </p> + <p> + But withal Vingi shows him the runes which he said Gudrun had sent. + </p> + <p> + Now the most of folk go to bed, but these drank on still with certain + others; and Kostbera, the wife of Hogni, the fairest of women, came to + them, and looked on the runes. + </p> + <p> + But the wife of Gunnar was Glaumvor, a great-hearted wife. + </p> + <p> + So these twain poured out, and the kings drank, and were exceeding + drunken, and Vingi notes it, and says— + </p> + <p> + "Naught may I hide that King Atli is heavy of foot and over-old for the + warding of his realm; but his sons are young and of no account: now will + he give you rule over his realms while they are yet thus young, and most + fain will he be that ye have the joy thereof before all others." + </p> + <p> + Now so it befell both that Gunnar was drunk, and that great dominion was + held out to him, nor might he work against the fate shapen for him; so he + gave his word to go, and tells Hogni his brother thereof. + </p> + <p> + But he answered, "Thy word given must even stand now, nor will I fail to + follow thee, but most loth am I to this journey." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Service-tree; "pyrus sorbus domestica", or "p. s. + tormentalis. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0035" id="link2HCH0035"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXV. The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings. + </h2> + <p> + So when men had drunk their fill, they fared to sleep; then falls Kostbera + to beholding the runes, and spelling over the letters, and sees that + beneath were other things cut, and that the runes are guileful; yet + because of her wisdom she had skill to read them aright. So then she goes + to bed by her husband; but when they awoke, she spake unto Hogni— + </p> + <p> + "Thou art minded to wend away from home—ill-counselled is that; + abide till another time! Scarce a keen reader of runes art thou, if thou + deemest thou hast beheld in them the bidding of thy sister to this + journey: lo, I read the runes, and had marvel of so wise a woman as Gudrun + is, that she should have miscut them; but that which lieth underneath + beareth your bane with it,—yea, either she lacked a letter, or + others have dealt guilefully with the runes. + </p> + <p> + "And now hearken to my dream; for therein methought there fell in upon us + here a river exceeding strong, and brake up the timbers of the hall." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Full oft are ye evil of mind, ye women, but for me, I was + not made in such wise as to meet men with evil who deserve no evil; belike + he will give us good welcome." + </p> + <p> + She answered, "Well, the thing must ye yourselves prove, but no friendship + follows this bidding:—but yet again I dreamed that another river + fell in here with a great and grimly rush, and tore up the dais of the + hall, and brake the legs of both you brethren; surely that betokeneth + somewhat." + </p> + <p> + He answers, "Meadows along our way, whereas thou didst dream of the river; + for when we go through the meadows, plentifully doth the seeds of the hay + hang about our legs." + </p> + <p> + "Again I dreamed," she says, "that thy cloak was afire, and that the flame + blazed up above the hall." + </p> + <p> + Says he, "Well, I wot what that shall betoken; here lieth my fair-dyed + raiment, and it shall burn and blaze, whereas thou dreamedst of the + cloak." + </p> + <p> + "Methought a bear came in," she says, "and brake up the king's high-seat, + and shook his paws in such a wise that we were all adrad thereat, and he + gat us all together into the mouth of him, so that we might avail us + naught, and thereof fell great horror on us." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Some great storm will befall, whereas thou hadst a white + bear in thy mind." + </p> + <p> + "An erne methought came in," she says, "and swept adown the hall, and + drenched me and all of us with blood, and ill shall that betoken, for + methought it was the double of King Atli." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Full oft do we slaughter beasts freely, and smite down great + neat for our cheer, and the dream of the erne has but to do with oxen; + yea, Atli is heart-whole toward us." + </p> + <p> + And therewithal they cease this talk. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0036" id="link2HCH0036"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVI. Of the Journey of the Giukings to King Atli. + </h2> + <p> + Now tells the tale of Gunnar, that in the same wise it fared with him; for + when they awoke, Glaumvor his wife told him many dreams which seemed to + her like to betoken guile coming; but Gunnar areded them all in other + wise. + </p> + <p> + "This was one of them," said she; "methought a bloody sword was borne into + the hall here, wherewith thou wert thrust through, and at either end of + that sword wolves howled." + </p> + <p> + The king answered, "Cur dogs shall bite me belike; blood-stained weapons + oft betoken dogs' snappings." + </p> + <p> + She said, "Yet again I dreamed—that women came in, heavy and + drooping, and chose thee for their mate; may-happen these would be thy + fateful women." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Hard to arede is this, and none may set aside the fated + measure of his days, nor is it unlike that my time is short." (1) + </p> + <p> + So in the morning they arose, and were minded for the journey, but some + letted them herein. + </p> + <p> + Then cried Gunnar to the man who is called Fjornir— + </p> + <p> + "Arise, and give us to drink goodly wine from great tuns, because + mayhappen this shall be very last of all our feasts; for belike if we die + the old wolf shall come by the gold, and that bear shall nowise spare the + bite of his war-tusks." + </p> + <p> + Then all the folk of his household brought them on their way weeping. + </p> + <p> + The son of Hogni said— + </p> + <p> + "Fare ye well with merry tide." + </p> + <p> + The more part of their folk were left behind; Solar and Snaevar, the sons + of Hogni, fared with them, and a certain great champion, named Orkning, + who was the brother of Kostbera. + </p> + <p> + So folk followed them down to the ships, and all letted them of their + journey, but attained to naught therein. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Glaumvor, and said— + </p> + <p> + "O Vingi, most like that great ill hap will come of thy coming, and mighty + and evil things shall betide in thy travelling." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Hearken to my answer; that I lie not aught: and may the high + gallows and all things of grame have me, if I lie one word!" + </p> + <p> + Then cried Kostbera, "Fare ye well with merry days." + </p> + <p> + And Hogni answered, "Be glad of heart, howsoever it may fare with us!" + </p> + <p> + And therewith they parted, each to their own fate. Then away they rowed, + so hard and fast, that well-nigh the half of the keel slipped away from + the ship, and so hard they laid on to the oars that thole and gunwale + brake. + </p> + <p> + But when they came aland they made their ship fast, and then they rode + awhile on their noble steeds through the murk wild-wood. + </p> + <p> + And now they behold the king's army, and huge uproar, and the clatter of + weapons they hear from thence; and they see there a mighty host of men, + and the manifold array of them, even as they wrought there: and all the + gates of the burg were full of men. + </p> + <p> + So they rode up to the burg, and the gates thereof were shut; then Hogni + brake open the gates, and therewith they ride into the burg. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Vingi, "Well might ye have left this deed undone; go to now, + bide ye here while I go seek your gallows-tree! Softly and sweetly I bade + you hither, but an evil thing abode thereunder; short while to bide ere ye + are tied up to that same tree!" + </p> + <p> + Hogni answered, "None the more shall we waver for that cause; for little + methinks have we shrunk aback whenas men fell to fight; and naught shall + it avail thee to make us afeard,—and for an ill fate hast thou + wrought." + </p> + <p> + And therewith they cast him down to earth, and smote him with their + axe-hammers till he died. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Parallel beliefs to those in the preceding chapters, and + elsewhere in this book, as to spells, dreams, drinks, etc., + among the English people may be found in "Leechdoms, + Wortcunning, and Starcraft of the Anglo-Saxons; being a + collection of Documents illustrating the History of Science + in this Country before the Norman Conquest". Ed: Rev. T. O. + Cockayne, M.A. (3 vols.) Longmans, London, 1864, 8vo. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0037" id="link2HCH0037"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVII. The Battle in the Burg of King Atli. + </h2> + <p> + Then they rode unto the king's hall, and King Atli arrayed his host for + battle, and the ranks were so set forth that a certain wall there was + betwixt them and the brethren. + </p> + <p> + "Welcome hither," said he. "Deliver unto me that plenteous gold which is + mine of right; even the wealth which Sigurd once owned, and which is now + Gudrun's of right." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar answered, "Never gettest thou that wealth; and men of might must + thou meet here, or ever we lay by life if thou wilt deal with us in + battle; ah, belike thou settest forth this feast like a great man, and + wouldst not hold thine hand from erne and wolf!" + </p> + <p> + "Long ago I had it in my mind," said Atli, "to take the lives of you, and + be lord of the gold, and reward you for that deed of shame, wherein ye + beguiled the best of all your affinity; but now shall I revenge him." + </p> + <p> + Hogni answered, "Little will it avail to lie long brooding over that rede, + leaving the work undone." + </p> + <p> + And therewith they fell to hard fighting, at the first brunt with shot. + </p> + <p> + But therewithal came the tidings to Gudrun, and when she heard thereof she + grew exceeding wroth, and cast her mantle from her, and ran out and + greeted those new-comers, and kissed her brethren, and showed them all + love,—and the last of all greetings was that betwixt them. + </p> + <p> + Then said she, "I thought I had set forth counsels whereby ye should not + come hither, but none may deal with his shapen fate." And withal she said, + "Will it avail aught to seek for peace?" + </p> + <p> + But stoutly and grimly they said nay thereto. So she sees that the game + goeth sorely against her brethren, and she gathers to her great stoutness + of heart, and does on her a mail-coat and takes to her a sword, and fights + by her brethren, and goes as far forward as the bravest of man-folk: and + all spoke in one wise that never saw any fairer defence than in her. + </p> + <p> + Now the men fell thick, and far before all others was the fighting of + those brethren, and the battle endured a long while unto midday; Gunnar + and Hogni went right through the folk of Atli, and so tells the tale that + all the mead ran red with blood; the sons of Hogni withal set on stoutly. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Atli the king, "A fair host and a great have we, and mighty + champions withal, and yet have many of us fallen, and but evil am I apaid + in that nineteen of my champions are slain, and but left six alive." + </p> + <p> + And therewithal was there a lull in the battle. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Atli the king, "Four brethren were we, and now am I left alone; + great affinity I gat to me, and deemed my fortune well sped thereby; a + wife I had, fair and wise, high of mind, and great of heart; but no + joyance may I have of her wisdom, for little peace is betwixt us,—but + ye—ye have slain many of my kin, and beguiled me of realm and + riches, and for the greatest of all woes have slain my sister withal." + </p> + <p> + Quoth Hogni, "Why babblest thou thus? thou wert the first to break the + peace. Thou didst take my kinswoman and pine her to death by hunger, and + didst murder her, and take her wealth; an ugly deed for a king!—meet + for mocking and laughter I deem it, that thou must needs make long tale of + thy woes; rather will I give thanks to the Gods that thou fallest into + ill." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0038" id="link2HCH0038"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVIII. Of the slaying of the Giukings. + </h2> + <p> + Now King Atli eggs on his folk to set on fiercely, and eagerly they fight; + but the Giukings fell on so hard that King Atli gave back into the hall, + and within doors was the fight, and fierce beyond all fights. + </p> + <p> + That battle was the death of many a man, but such was the ending thereof, + that there fell all the folk of those brethren, and they twain alone stood + up on their feet, and yet many more must fare to hell first before their + weapons. + </p> + <p> + And now they fell on Gunnar the king, and because of the host of men that + set on him was hand laid on him, and he was cast into fetters; afterwards + fought Hogni, with the stoutest heart and the greatest manlihood; and he + felled to earth twenty of the stoutest of the champions of King Atli, and + many he thrust into the fire that burnt amidst the hall, and all were of + one accord that such a man might scarce be seen; yet in the end was he + borne down by many and taken. + </p> + <p> + Then said King Atli, "A marvellous thing how many men have gone their ways + before him! Cut the heart from out of him, and let that be his bane!" + </p> + <p> + Hogni said, "Do according to thy will; merrily will I abide whatso thou + wrlt do against me; and thou shalt see that my heart is not adrad, for + hard matters have I made trial of ere now, and all things that may try a + man was I fain to bear, whiles yet I was unhurt; but now sorely am I hurt, + and thou alone henceforth will bear mastery in our dealings together." + </p> + <p> + Then spake a counsellor of King Atli, "Better rede I see thereto; take we + the thrall Hjalli, and give respite to Hogni; for this thrall is made to + die, since the longer he lives the less worth shall he be." + </p> + <p> + The thrall hearkened, and cried out aloft, and fled away anywhither where + he might hope for shelter, crying out that a hard portion was his because + of their strife and wild doings, and an ill day for him whereon he must be + dragged to death from his sweet life and his swine-keeping. But they + caught him, and turned a knife against him, and he yelled and screamed or + ever he felt the point thereof. + </p> + <p> + Then in such wise spake Hogni as a man seldom speaketh who is fallen into + hard need, for he prayed for the thrall's life, and said that these + shrieks he could not away with, and that it were a lesser matter to him to + play out the play to the end; and therewithal the thrall gat his life as + for that time: but Gunnar and Hogni are both laid in fetters. + </p> + <p> + Then spake King Atli with Gunnar the king, and bade him tell out + concerning the gold, and where it was, if he would have his life. + </p> + <p> + But he answered, "Nay, first will I behold the bloody heart of Hogni, my + brother." + </p> + <p> + So now they caught hold of the thrall again, and cut the heart from out of + him, and bore it unto King Gunnar, but he said— + </p> + <p> + "The faint heart of Hjalli may ye here behold, little like the proud heart + of Hogni, for as much as it trembleth now, more by the half it trembled + whenas it lay in the breast of him." + </p> + <p> + So now they fell on Hogni even as Atli urged them, and cut the heart from + out of him, but such was the might of his manhood, that he laughed while + he abode that torment, and all wondered at his worth, and in perpetual + memory is it held sithence. (1) + </p> + <p> + Then they showed it to Gunnar, and he said— + </p> + <p> + "The mighty heart of Hogni, little like the faint heart of Hjalli, for + little as it trembleth now, less it trembled whenas in his breast it lay! + But now, O Atli, even as we die so shalt thou die; and lo, I alone wot + where the gold is, nor shall Hogni be to tell thereof now; to and fro + played the matter in my mind whiles we both lived, but now have I myself + determined for myself, and the Rhine river shall rule over the gold, + rather than that the Huns shall bear it on the hands of them." + </p> + <p> + Then said King Atli, "Have away the bondsman;" and so they did. + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun called to her men, and came to Atli, and said— + </p> + <p> + "May it fare ill with thee now and from henceforth, even as thou hast ill + held to thy word with me!" + </p> + <p> + So Gunnar was cast into a worm-close, and many worms abode him there, and + his hands were fast bound; but Gudrun sent him a harp, and in such wise + did he set forth his craft, that wisely he smote the harp, smiting it with + his toes, and so excellently well he played, that few deemed they had + heard such playing, even when the hand had done it. And with such might + and power he played, that all worms fell asleep in the end, save one adder + only, great and evil of aspect, that crept unto him and thrust its sting + into him until it smote his heart; and in such wise with great hardihood + he ended his life days. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Since ("sidh", after, and "dham", that.). +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0039" id="link2HCH0039"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIX. The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk. + </h2> + <p> + Now thought Atli the King that he had gained a mighty victory, and spake + to Gudrun even as mocking her greatly, or as making himself great before + her. "Gudrun," saith he, "thus hast thou lost thy brethren, and thy very + self hast brought it about." + </p> + <p> + She answers, "In good liking livest thou, whereas thou thrustest these + slayings before me, but mayhappen thou wilt rue it, when thou hast tried + what is to come hereafter; and of all I have, the longest-lived matter + shall be the memory of thy cruel heart, nor shall it go well with thee + whiles I live." + </p> + <p> + He answered and said, "Let there be peace betwixt us; I will atone for thy + brethren with gold and dear-bought things, even as thy heart may wish." + </p> + <p> + She answers, "Hard for a long while have I been in our dealings together, + and now I say, that while Hogni was yet alive thou mightest have brought + it to pass; but now mayest thou never atone for my brethren in my heart; + yet oft must we women be overborne by the might of you men; and now are + all my kindred dead and gone, and thou alone art left to rule over me: + wherefore now this is my counsel that we make a great feast, wherein I + will hold the funeral of my brother and of thy kindred withal." + </p> + <p> + In such wise did she make herself soft and kind in words, though far other + things forsooth lay thereunder, but he hearkened to her gladly, and + trusted in her words, whereas she made herself sweet of speech. + </p> + <p> + So Gudrun held the funeral feast for her brethren, and King Atli for his + men, and exceeding proud and great was this feast. + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun forgat not her woe, but brooded over it, how she might work + some mighty shame against the king; and at nightfall she took to her the + sons of King Atli and her as they played about the floor; the younglings + waxed heavy of cheer, and asked what she would with them. + </p> + <p> + "Ask me not," she said; "ye shall die, the twain of you!" + </p> + <p> + Then they answered, "Thou mayest do with thy children even as thou wilt, + nor shall any hinder thee, but shame there is to thee in the doing of this + deed." + </p> + <p> + Yet for all that she cut the throats of them. + </p> + <p> + Then the king asked where his sons were, and Gudrun answered, "I will tell + thee, and gladden thine heart by the telling; lo now, thou didst make a + great woe spring up for me in the slaying of my brethren; now hearken and + hear my rede and my deed; thou hast lost thy sons, and their heads are + become beakers on the board here, and thou thyself hast drunken the blood + of them blended with wine; and their hearts I took and roasted them on a + spit, and thou hast eaten thereof." + </p> + <p> + King Atli answered, "Grim art thou in that thou hast murdered thy sons, + and given me their flesh to eat, and little space passes betwixt ill deed + of thine and ill deed." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun said, "My heart is set on the doing to thee of as great shame as + may be; never shall the measure of ill be full to such a king as thou + art." + </p> + <p> + The king said, "Worser deeds hast thou done than men have to tell of, and + great unwisdom is there in such fearful redes; most meet art thou to be + burned on bale when thou hast first been smitten to death with stones, for + in such wise wouldst thou have what thou hast gone a weary way to seek." + </p> + <p> + She answered, "Thine own death thou foretellest, but another death is + fated for me." + </p> + <p> + And many other words they spake in their wrath. + </p> + <p> + Now Hogni had a son left alive, hight Niblung, and great wrath of heart he + bare against King Atli; and he did Gudrun to wit that he would avenge his + father. And she took his words well, and they fell to counsel together + thereover, and she said it would be great goodhap if it might be brought + about. + </p> + <p> + So on a night, when the king had drunken, he gat him to bed, and when he + was laid asleep, thither to him came Gudrun and the son of Hogni. + </p> + <p> + Gudrun took a sword and thrust it through the breast of King Atli, and + they both of them set their hands to the deed, both she and the son of + Hogni. + </p> + <p> + Then Atli the king awoke with the wound, and cried out; "no need of + binding or salving here!—who art thou who hast done the deed?" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "Somewhat have I, Gudrun, wrought therein, and somewhat + withal the son of Hogni." + </p> + <p> + Atli said, "Ill it beseemed to thee to do this, though somewhat of wrong + was between us; for thou wert wedded to me by the rede of thy kin, and + dower paid I for thee; yea, thirty goodly knights, and seemly maidens, and + many men besides; and yet wert thou not content, but if thou should rule + over the lands King Budli owned: and thy mother-in-law full oft thou + lettest sit a-weeping." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun said, "Many false words hast thou spoken, and of naught I account + them; oft, indeed, was I fell of mood, but much didst thou add thereto. + Full oft in this thy house did frays befall, and kin fought kin, and + friend fought friend, and made themselves big one against the other; + better days had I whenas I abode with Sigurd, when we slew kings, and took + their wealth to us, but gave peace to whomso would, and the great men laid + themselves under our hands, and might we gave to him of them who would + have it; then I lost him, and a little thing was it that I should bear a + widow's name, but the greatest of griefs that I should come to thee—I + who had aforetime the noblest of all kings, while for thee, thou never + barest out of the battle aught but the worser lot." + </p> + <p> + King Atli answered, "Naught true are thy words, nor will this our speech + better the lot of either of us, for all is fallen now to naught; but now + do to me in seemly wise, and array my dead corpse in noble fashion." + </p> + <p> + "Yea, that will I," she says, "and let make for thee a goodly grave, and + build for thee a worthy abiding place of stone, and wrap thee in fair + linen, and care for all that needful is." + </p> + <p> + So therewithal he died, and she did according to her word: and then they + cast fire into the hall. + </p> + <p> + And when the folk and men of estate awoke amid that dread and trouble, + naught would they abide the fire, but smote each the other down, and died + in such wise; so there Atli the king, and all his folk, ended their + life-days. But Gudrun had no will to live longer after this deed so + wrought, but nevertheless her ending day was not yet come upon her. + </p> + <p> + Now the Volsungs and the Giukings, as folk tell in tale, have been the + greatest-hearted and the mightiest of all men, as ye may well behold + written in the songs of old time. + </p> + <p> + But now with the tidings just told were these troubles stayed. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0040" id="link2HCH0040"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XL. How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore + again. + </h2> + <p> + Gudrun had a daughter by Sigurd hight Swanhild; she was the fairest of all + women, eager-eyed as her father, so that few durst look under the brows of + her; and as far did she excel other woman-kind as the sun excels the other + lights of heaven. + </p> + <p> + But on a day went Gudrun down to the sea, and caught up stones in her + arms, and went out into the sea, for she had will to end her life. But + mighty billows drave her forth along the sea, and by means of their + upholding was she borne along till she came at the last to the burg of + King Jonakr, a mighty king, and lord of many folk. And he took Gudrun to + wife, and their children were Hamdir, and Sorli, and Erp; and there was + Swanhild nourished withal. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0041" id="link2HCH0041"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLI. Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild. + </h2> + <p> + Jormunrek was the name of a mighty king of those days, and his son was + called Randver. Now this king called his son to talk with him, and said, + "Thou shalt fare on an errand of mine to King Jonakr, with my counsellor + Bikki, for with King Jonakr is nourished Swanhild, the daughter of Sigurd + Fafnir's-bane; and I know for sure that she is the fairest may dwelling + under the sun of this world; her above all others would I have to my wife, + and thou shalt go woo her for me." + </p> + <p> + Randver answered, "Meet and right, fair lord, that I should go on thine + errands." + </p> + <p> + So the king set forth this journey in seemly wise, and they fare till they + come to King Jonakr's abode, and behold Swanhild, and have many thoughts + concerning the treasure of her goodliness. + </p> + <p> + But on a day Randver called the king to talk with him, and said, + "Jormunrek the King would fain be thy brother-in-law, for he has heard + tell of Swanhild, and his desire it is to have her to wife, nor may it be + shown that she may be given to any mightier man than he is one." + </p> + <p> + The King says, "This is an alliance of great honour, for a man of fame he + is." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "A wavering trust, the trust in luck that it change not!" + </p> + <p> + Yet because of the king's furthering, and all the matters that went + herewith, is the wooing accomplished; and Swanhild went to the ship with a + goodly company, and sat in the stern beside the king's son. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Bikki to Randver, "How good and right it were if thou thyself + had to wife so lovely a woman rather than the old man there." + </p> + <p> + Good seemed that word to the heart of the king's son, and he spake to her + with sweet words, and she to him in like wise. + </p> + <p> + So they came aland and go unto the king, and Bikki said unto him, "Meet + and right it is, lord, that thou shouldst know what is befallen, though + hard it be to tell of, for the tale must be concerning thy beguiling, + whereas thy son has gotten to him the full love of Swanhild, nor is she + other than his harlot; but thou, let not the deed be unavenged." + </p> + <p> + Now many an ill rede had he given the king or this, but of all his ill + redes did this sting home the most; and still would the king hearken to + all his evil redes; wherefore he, who might nowise still the wrath within + him, cried out that Randver should be taken and tied up to the + gallows-tree. + </p> + <p> + And as he was led to the gallows he took his hawk and plucked the feathers + from off it, and bade show it to his father; and when the king saw it, + then he said, "Now may folk behold that he deemeth my honour to be gone + away from me, even as the feathers of this hawk;" and therewith he bade + deliver him from the gallows. + </p> + <p> + But in that while had Bikki wrought his will, and Randver was dead-slain. + </p> + <p> + And, moreover, Bikki spake, "Against none hast thou more wrongs to avenge + thee of than against Swanhild; let her die a shameful death." + </p> + <p> + "Yea," said the king, "we will do after thy counsel." + </p> + <p> + So she was bound in the gate of the burg, and horses were driven at her to + tread her down; but when she opened her eyes wide, then the horses durst + not trample her; so when Bikki beheld that, he bade draw a bag over the + head of her; and they did so, and therewith she lost her life. (1) + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES + (1) In the prose Edda the slaying of Swanhild is a spontaneous + and sudden act on the part of the king. As he came back + from hunting one day, there sat Swanhild washing her linen, + and it came into the king's mind how that she was the cause + of all his woe, so he and his men rode over her and slew + her.—Tr. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0042" id="link2HCH0042"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLII. Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild. + </h2> + <p> + Now Gudrun heard of the slaying of Swanhild, and spake to her sons, "Why + sit ye here in peace amid merry words, whereas Jormunrek hath slain your + sister, and trodden her under foot of horses in shameful wise? No heart ye + have in you like to Gunnar or Hogni; verily they would have avenged their + kinswoman!" + </p> + <p> + Hamdir answered, "Little didst thou praise Gunnar and Hogni, whereas they + slew Sigurd, and thou wert reddened in the blood of him, and ill were thy + brethren avenged by the slaying of thine own sons: yet not so ill a deed + were it for us to slay King Jormunrek, and so hard thou pushest us on to + this that we may naught abide thy hard words." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun went about laughing now, and gave them to drink from mighty + beakers, and thereafter she got for them great byrnies and good, and all + other weed (1) of war. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Hamdir, "Lo now, this is our last parting, for thou shalt hear + tidings of us, and drink one grave-ale (2) over us and over Swanhild." + </p> + <p> + So therewith they went their ways. + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun went unto her bower, with heart swollen with sorrow, and spake— + </p> + <p> + "To three men was I wedded, and first to Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and he was + bewrayed and slain, and of all griefs was that the greatest grief. Then + was I given to King Atli, and so fell was my heart toward him that I slew + in the fury of my grief his children and mine. Then gave I myself to the + sea, but the billows thereof cast me out aland, and to this king then was + I given; then gave I Swanhild away out of the land with mighty wealth; and + lo, my next greatest sorrow after Sigurd, for under horses' feet was she + trodden and slain; but the grimmest and ugliest of woes was the casting of + Gunnar into the Worm-close, and the hardest was the cutting of Hogni's + heart from him. + </p> + <p> + "Ah, better would it be if Sigurd came to meet me, and I went my ways with + him, for here bideth now behind with me neither son nor daughter to + comfort me. Oh, mindest thou not, Sigurd, the words we spoke when we went + into one bed together, that thou wouldst come and look on me; yea, even + from thine abiding place among the dead?" + </p> + <p> + And thus had the words of her sorrow an end. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTE: + (1) Weed (A.S. "weodo"), clothing. + (2) Grave-ale, burial-feast. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0043" id="link2HCH0043"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLIII. The Latter End of all the Kin of the Giukings. + </h2> + <p> + Now telleth the tale concerning the sons of Gudrun, that she had arrayed + their war-raiment in such wise, that no steel would bite thereon; and she + bade them play not with stones or other heavy matters, for that it would + be to their scathe if they did so. + </p> + <p> + And now, as they went on their way, they met Erp, their brother, and asked + him in what wise he would help them. + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Even as hand helps hand, or foot helps foot." + </p> + <p> + But that they deemed naught at all, and slew him there and then. Then they + went their ways, nor was it long or ever Hamdir stumbled, and thrust down + his hand to steady himself, and spake therewith— + </p> + <p> + "Naught but a true thing spake Erp, for now should I have fallen, had not + hand been to steady me." + </p> + <p> + A little after Sorli stumbled, but turned about on his feet, and so stood, + and spake— + </p> + <p> + "Yea now had I fallen, but that I steadied myself with both feet." + </p> + <p> + And they said they had done evilly with Erp their brother. + </p> + <p> + But on they fare till they come to the abode of King Jormunrek, and they + went up to him and set on him forthwith, and Hamdir cut both hands from + him and Sorli both feet. Then spake Hamdir— + </p> + <p> + "Off were the head if Erp were alive; our brother, whom we slew on the + way, and found out our deed too late." Even as the Song says,— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold, + Whom we slew by the way, + The well-famed in warfare." +</pre> + <p> + Now in this must they turn away from the words of their mother, whereas + they had to deal with stones. For now men fell on them, and they defended + themselves in good and manly wise, and were the scathe of many a man, nor + would iron bite on them. + </p> + <p> + But there came thereto a certain man, old of aspect and one-eyed, (1) and + he spake— + </p> + <p> + "No wise men are ye, whereas ye cannot bring these men to their end." + </p> + <p> + Then the king said, "Give us rede thereto, if thou canst." + </p> + <p> + He said, "Smite them to the death with stones." + </p> + <p> + In such wise was it done, for the stones flew thick and fast from every + side, and that was the end of their life-days. + </p> + <p> + And now has come to an end the whole root and stem of the Giukings. (2) + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + NOW MAY ALL EARLS + BE BETTERED IN MIND, + MAY THE GRIEF OF ALL MAIDENS + EVER BE MINISHED, + FOR THIS TALE OF TROUBLE + SO TOLD TO ITS ENDING. +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin; he ends the tale as he began it. + (2) "And now," etc., inserted by translators from the Poetic + Edda, the stanza at the end from the Whetting of Gudrun. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_APPE" id="link2H_APPE"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + APPENDIX: EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA. + </h2> + <p> + <a name="link2H_PART" id="link2H_PART"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + PART OF THE SECOND LAY OF HELGI HUNDINGS-BANE (1) + </h2> + <p> + Helgi wedded Sigrun, and they begate sons together, but Helgi lived not to + be old; for Dag, (2) the son of Hogni, sacrificed to Odin, praying that he + might avenge his father. So Odin lent Dag his spear, and Dag met Helgi, + his brother-in-law, at a place called Fetter-grove, and thrust him through + with that spear, and there fell Helgi dead; but Dag rode to Sevafell, and + told Sigrun of the news. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + DAG: + Loth am I, sister + Of sorrow to tell thee, + For by hard need driven + Have I drawn on the greeting; + This morning fell + In Fetter-grove + The king well deemed + The best in the wide world, + Yea, he who stood + On the necks of the strong." + + SIGRUN: + All oaths once sworn + Shall bite thee sore, + The oaths that to Helgi + Once thou swarest + At the bright white + Water of Lightening, (3) + And at the cold rock + That the sea runneth over. + + May the ship sweep not on + That should sweep at its swiftest, + Though the wind desired + Behind thee driveth! + May the horse never run + That should run at his most might + When from thy foe's face + Thou hast most need to flee! + + May the sword never bite + That thou drawest from scabbard + But and if round thine head + In wrath it singeth! + + Then should meet price be paid + For Helgi's slaying + When a wolf thou wert + Out in the wild-wood, + Empty of good things + Empty of gladness, + With no meat for thy mouth + But dead men's corpses! + + DAG: + With mad words thou ravest, + Thy wits are gone from thee, + When thou for thy brother + Such ill fate biddest; + Odin alone + Let all this bale loose, + Casting the strife-runes + 'Twixt friends and kindred. + + Rings of red gold + Will thy brother give thee, + And the stead of Vandil + And the lands of Vigdale; + Have half of the land + For thy sorrow's healing, + O ring-arrayed sweetling + For thee and thy sons! + + SIGRUN: + No more sit I happy + At Sevafell; + At day-dawn, at night + Naught love I my life + Till broad o'er the people + My lord's light breaketh; + Till his war-horse runneth + Beneath him hither, + Well wont to the gold bit— + Till my king I welcome. + + In such wise did Helgi + Deal fear around + To all his foes + And all their friends + As when the goat runneth + Before the wolf's rage + Filled with mad fear + Down from the fell. + + As high above all lords + Did Helgi beat him + As the ash-tree's glory + From the thorn ariseth, + Or as the fawn + With the dew-fell sprinkled + Is far above + All other wild things, + As his horns go gleaming + 'Gainst the very heavens. +</pre> + <p> + A barrow was raised above Helgi, but when he came in Valhall, then Odin + bade him be lord of all things there, even as he; so Helgi sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + HELGI: + Now shalt thou, Hunding + For the help of each man + Get ready the foot-bath, + And kindle the fire; + The hounds shalt thou bind + And give heed to the horses, + Give wash to the swine + Ere to sleep thou goest. +</pre> + <p> + A bondmaid of Sigrun went in the evening-tide by Helgi's mound, and there + saw how Helgi rode toward it with a great company; then she sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + BONDMAID: + It is vain things' beguilling + That methinks I behold, + Or the ending of all things, + As ye ride, O ye dead men, + Smiting with spurs + Your horses' sides? + Or may dead warriors + Wend their ways homeward? + + THE DEAD: + No vain things' beguiling + Is that thou beholdest, + Nor the ruin of all things; + Though thou lookest upon us, + Though we smite with spurs + Our horses' sides; + Rather dead warriors + May wend their ways homeward. +</pre> + <p> + Then went the bondmaid home, and told Sigrun, and sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + BONDMAID: + Go out, Sigrun + From Sevafell, + If thou listest to look on + The lord of thy people! + For the mound is uncovered + Thither is Helgi come, + And his wounds are bleeding, + But the king thee biddeth + To come and stay + That stream of sorrow. +</pre> + <p> + So Sigrun went into the mound to Helgi, and sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + SIGRUN: + Now am I as fain + Of this fair meeting, + As are the hungry + Hawks of Odin, + When they wot of the slaying + Of the yet warm quarry, + Or bright with dew + See the day a-dawning. + + Ah, I will kiss + My king laid lifeless, + Ere thou castest by + Thy blood-stained byrny. + O Helgi, thy hair + Is thick with death's rime, + With the dew of the dead + Is my love all dripping; + Dead-cold are the hands + Of the son of Hogni; + How for thee, O my king, + May I win healing? + + HELGI: + Thou alone, Sigrun + Of Sevafell, + Hast so done that Helgi + With grief's dew drippeth; + O clad in gold + Cruel tears thou weepest, + Bright May of the Southlands, + Or ever thou sleepest; + Each tear in blood falleth + On the breast of thy lord, + Cold wet and bitter-sharp + Swollen with sorrow. + + Ah, we shall drink + Dear draughts and lovely, + Though, we have lost + Both life and lands; + Neither shall any + Sing song of sorrow, + Though in my breast + Be wounds wide to behold: + For now are brides + In the mound abiding; + Kings' daughters sit + By us departed. +</pre> + <p> + Bow Sigrun arrayed a bed in the mound, and sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + SIGRUN: + Here, Helgi, for thee + A bed have I dight, + Kind without woe, + O kin of the Ylfings! + To thy bosom, O king, + Will I come and sleep soft, + As I was wont + When my lord was living. + + HELGI: + Now will I call + Naught not to be hoped for + Early or late + At Sevafell, + When thou in the arms + Of a dead man art laid, + White maiden of Hogni, + Here in the mound: + And thou yet quick, + O King's daughter! + + Now needs must I ride + On the reddening ways; + My pale horse must tread + The highway aloft; + West must I go + To Windhelm's bridge + Ere the war-winning crowd + Hall-crower (4) waketh. +</pre> + <p> + So Helgi rode his ways: and the others gat them gone home to the house. + But the next night Sigrun bade the bondwoman have heed of the mound. So at + nightfall, thenas Sigrun came to the mound, she sang: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + SIGRUN: + Here now would he come, + If to come he were minded; + Sigmund's offspring + From the halls of Odin. + O me the hope waneth + Of Helgi's coming; + For high on the ash-boughs + Are the ernes abiding, + And all folk drift + Toward the Thing of the dreamland. + + BONDMAID: + Be not foolish of heart, + And fare all alone + To the house of the dead, + O Hero's daughter! + For more strong and dreadful + In the night season + Are all dead warriors + Than in the daylight. +</pre> + <p> + But a little while lived Sigrun, because of her sorrow and trouble. But in + old time folk trowed that men should be born again, though their troth be + now deemed but an old wife's dotting. And so, as folk say, Helgi and + Sigrun were born again, and at that tide was he called Helgi the Scathe of + Hadding, and she Kara the daughter of Halfdan; and she was a Valkyrie, + even as is said in the Lay of Kara. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Only that part of the song is given which completes the + episodes of Helgi Hunding's-bane; the earlier part of the + song differs little from the Saga. + (2) Hogni, the father of Dar and Sigrun, had been slain by Helgi + in battle, and Helgi had given peace to, and taken oaths of + Dag. + (3) One of the rivers of the under-world. + (4) Hall-crower, "Salgofnir": lit. Hall-gaper, the cock of + Valhall. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_PART2" id="link2H_PART2"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Now this is my first counsel, + That thou with thy kin + Be guiltless, guileless ever, + Nor hasty of wrath, + Despite of wrong done— + Unto the dead good that doeth. + + Lo the second counsel, + That oath thou swearest never, + But trusty oath and true: + Grim tormenting + Gripes troth-breakers; + Cursed wretch is the wolf of vows. + + This is my third rede, + That thou at the Thing + Deal not with the fools of folk; + For unwise man + From mouth lets fall + Worser word than well he wotteth. + + Yet hard it is + That holding of peace + When men shall deem thee dastard, + Or deem the lie said soothly; + But woeful is home-witness, + Unless right good thou gettest it. + Ah, on another day + Drive the life from out him, + And pay the liar back for his lying. + + Now behold the fourth rede: + If ill witch thee bideth, + Woe-begatting by the way, + Good going further + Rather than guesting, + Though thick night be on thee. + + Far-seeing eyes + Need all sons of men + Who wend in wrath to war; + For baleful women + Bide oft by the highway, + Swords and hearts to soften. + + And now the fifth rede: + As fair as thou seest + Brides on the bench abiding, + Let not love's silver + Rule over thy sleeping; + Draw no woman to kind kissing! + + For the sixth thing, I rede + When men sit a-drinking + Amid ale-words and ill-words, + Dead thou naught + With the drunken fight-staves + For wine stealeth wit from many. + + Brawling and drink + Have brought unto men + Sorrow sore oft enow; + Yea, bane unto some, + And to some weary bale; + Many are the griefs of mankind. + + For the seventh, I rede thee, + If strife thou raisest + With a man right high of heart, + Better fight a-field + Than burn in the fire + Within thine hall fair to behold. + + The eighth rede that I give thee: + Unto all ill look thou, + And hold thine heart from all beguiling; + Draw to thee no maiden, + No man's wife bewray thou, + Urge them not unto unmeet pleasure. + + This is the ninth counsel: + That thou have heed of dead folk + Whereso thou findest them a-field; + Be they sick-dead, + Be they sea-dead, + Or come to ending by war-weapons. + + Let bath be made + For such men fordone, + Wash thou hands and feet thereof, + Comb their hair and dry them + Ere the coffin has them; + Then bid them sleep full sweetly. + + This for the tenth counsel: + That thou give trust never + Unto oaths of foeman's kin, + Be'st thou bane of his brother, + Or hast thou felled his father; + Wolf in young son waxes, + Though he with gold be gladdened. + + For wrong and hatred + Shall rest them never, + Nay, nor sore sorrow. + Both wit and weapons + Well must the king have + Who is fain to be the foremost. + + The last rede and eleventh: + Until all ill look thou. + And watch thy friends' ways ever + Scarce durst I look + For long life for thee, king: + Strong trouble ariseth now already. +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) This continues the first part of the lay given in Chapter XX + of the Saga; and is, in fact, the original verse of Chapter + XXI. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0050" id="link2H_4_0050"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE LAY CALLED THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Sigurd of yore, + Sought the dwelling of Giuki, + As he fared, the young Volsung, + After fight won; + Troth he took + From the two brethren; + Oath swore they betwixt them, + Those bold ones of deed. + + A may they gave to him + And wealth manifold, + Gudrun the young, + Giuki's daughter: + They drank and gave doom + Many days together, + Sigurd the young, + And the sons of Giuki. + + Until they wended + For Brynhild's wooing, + Sigurd a-riding + Amidst their rout; + The wise young Volsung + Who knew of all ways— + Ah! He had wed her, + Had fate so willed it. + + Southlander Sigurd + A naked sword, + Bright, well grinded, + Laid betwixt them; + No kiss he won + From the fair woman, + Nor in arms of his + Did the Hun King hold her, + Since he gat the young maid + For the son of Giuki. + + No lack in her life + She wotted of now, + And at her death-day + No dreadful thing + For a shame indeed + Or a shame in seeming; + But about and betwixt + Went baleful fate. + + Alone, abroad, + She sat of an evening, + Of full many things + She fall a-talking: + "O for my Sigurd! + I shall have death, + Or my fair, my lovely, + Laid in mine arms. + + "For the word once spoken, + I sorrow sorely— + His queen is Gudrun, + I am wed to Gunnar; + The dread Norns wrought for us + A long while of woe." + + Oft with heart deep + In dreadful thoughts, + O'er ice-fields and ice-hills + She fared a-night time, + When he and Gudrun + Were gone to their fair bed, + And Sigurd wrapped + The bed-gear round her. + + "Ah! Now the Hun King + His queen in arms holdeth, + While love I go lacking, + And all things longed for + With no delight + But in dreadful thought." + + These dreadful things + Thrust her toward murder: + —"Listen, Gunnar, + For thou shalt lose + My wide lands, + Yea, me myself! + Never love I my life, + With thee for my lord— + + "I will fare back thither + From whence I came, + To my nighest kin + And those that know me + There shall I sit + Sleeping my life away, + Unless thou slayest + Sigurd the Hun King, + Making thy might more + E'en than his might was! + + "Yea, let the son fare + After the father, + And no young wolf + A long while nourish! + For on earth man lieth + Vengeance lighter, + And peace shall be surer + If the son live not." + + Adrad was Gunnar, + Heavy-hearted was he, + And in doubtful mood + Day-long he sat. + For naught he wotted, + Nor might see clearly + What was the seemliest + Of deeds to set hand to; + What of all deeds + Was best to be done: + For he minded the vows + Sworn to the Volsung, + And the sore wrong + To be wrought against Sigurd. + + Wavered his mind + A weary while, + No wont it was + Of those days worn by, + That queens should flee + From the realms of their kings. + + "Brynhild to me + Is better than all, + The child of Budli + Is the best of women. + Yea, and my life + Will I lay down, + Ere I am twinned + From that woman's treasure." + + He bade call Hogni + To the place where he bided; + With all the trust that might be, + Trowed he in him. + + "Wilt thou bewray Sigurd + For his wealth's sake? + Good it is to rule + O'er the Rhine's metal; + And well content + Great wealth to wield, + Biding in peace + And blissful days." + + One thing alone Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Such doings for us + Are naught seemly to do; + To rend with sword + Oaths once sworn, + Oaths once sworn, + And troth once plighted. + + "Nor know we on mould, + Men of happier days, + The while we four + Rule over the folk; + While the bold in battle, + The Hun King, bides living. + + "And no nobler kin + Shall be known afield, + If our five sons + We long may foster; + Yea, a goodly stem + Shall surely wax. + —But I clearly see + In what wise it standeth, + Brynhild's sore urging + O'ermuch on thee beareth. + + "Guttorm shall we + Get for the slaying, + Our younger brother + Bare of wisdom; + For he was out of + All the oaths sworn, + All the oaths sworn, + And the plighted troth." + + Easy to rouse him + Who of naught recketh! + —Deep stood the sword + In the heart of Sigurd. + + There, in the hall, + Gat the high-hearted vengeance; + For he can his sword + At the reckless slayer: + Out at Guttorm + Flew Gram the mighty, + The gleaming steel + From Sigurd's hand. + + Down fell the slayer + Smitten asunder; + The heavy head + And the hands fell one way, + But the feet and such like + Aback where they stood. + + Gudrun was sleeping + Soft in the bed, + Empty of sorrow + By the side of Sigurd: + When she awoke + With all pleasure gone, + Swimming in blood + Of Frey's beloved. + + So sore her hands + She smote together, + That the great-hearted + Gat raised in bed; + —"O Gudrun, weep not + So woefully, + Sweet lovely bride, + For thy brethren live for thee! + + "A young child have I + For heritor; + Too young to win forth + From the house of his foes.— + Black deeds and ill + Have they been a-doing, + Evil rede + Have they wrought at last. + + "Late, late, rideth with them + Unto the Thing, + Such sister's son, + Though seven thou bear,— + —But well I wot + Which way all goeth; + Alone wrought Brynhild + This bale against us. + + "That maiden loved me + Far before all men, + Yet wrong to Gunnar + I never wrought; + Brotherhood I heeded + And all bounden oaths, + That none should deem me + His queen's darling." + + Weary sighed Gudrun, + As the king gat ending, + And so sore her hands + She smote together, + That the cups arow + Rang out therewith, + And the geese cried on high + That were in the homefield. + + Then laughed Brynhild + Budli's daughter, + Once, once only, + From out her heart; + When to her bed + Was borne the sound + Of the sore greeting + Of Giuki's daughter. + + Then, quoth Gunnar, + The king, the hawk-bearer, + "Whereas, thou laughest, + O hateful woman, + Glad on thy bed, + No good it betokeneth: + Why lackest thou else + Thy lovely hue? + Feeder of foul deeds, + Fey do I deem thee, + + "Well worthy art thou + Before all women, + That thine eyes should see + Atli slain of us; + That thy brother's wounds + Thou shouldest see a-bleeding, + That his bloody hurts + Thine hands should bind." + + "No man blameth thee, Gunnar, + Thou hast fulfilled death's measure + But naught Atli feareth + All thine ill will; + Life shall he lay down + Later than ye, + And still bear more might + Aloft than thy might. + + "I shall tell thee, Gunnar, + Though well the tale thou knowest, + In what early days + Ye dealt abroad your wrong: + Young was I then, + Worn with no woe, + Good wealth I had + In the house of my brother! + + "No mind had I + That a man should have me, + Or ever ye Giukings, + Rode into our garth; + There ye sat on your steeds + Three kings of the people— + —Ah! That that faring + Had never befallen! + + "Then spake Atli + To me apart, + And said that no wealth + He would give unto me, + Neither gold nor lands + If I would not be wedded; + Nay, and no part + Of the wealth apportioned, + Which in my first days + He gave me duly; + Which in my first days + He counted down. + + "Wavered the mind + Within me then, + If to fight I should fall + And the felling of folk, + Bold in Byrny + Because of my brother; + A deed of fame + Had that been to all folk, + But to many a man + Sorrow of mind. + + "So I let all sink + Into peace at the last: + More grew I minded + For the mighty treasure, + The red-shining rings + Of Sigmund's son; + For no man's wealth else + Would I take unto me. + + "For myself had I given + To that great king + Who sat amid gold + On the back of Grani; + Nought were his eyes + Like to your eyen, + Nor in any wise + Went his visage with yours; + Though ye might deem you + Due kings of men. + + "One I loved, + One, and none other, + The gold-decked may + Had no doubtful mind; + Thereof shall Atli + Wot full surely, + When he getteth to know + I am gone to the dead. + + "Far be it from me, + Feeble and wavering, + Ever to love + Another's love— + —Yes shall my woe + Be well avenged." + + Up rose Gunnar, + The great men's leader, + And cast his arms + About the queen's neck; + And all went nigh + One after other, + With their whole hearts + Her heart to turn. + + But then all these + From her neck she thrust, + Of her long journey + No man should let her. + + Then called he Hogni + To have talk with him; + "Let all folk go + Forth into the hall, + Thine with mine— + —O need sore and mighty!— + To wot if we yet + My wife's parting may stay. + Till with time's wearing + Some hindrance wax." + + One answer Hogni + Had for all; + "Nay, let hard need + Have rule thereover, + And no man let her + Of her long journey! + Never born again, + May she come back thence! + + "Luckless she came + To the lap of her mother, + Born into the world + For utter woe, + TO many a man + For heart-whole mourning." + + Upraised he turned + From the talk and the trouble, + To where the gem-field + Dealt out goodly treasure; + As she looked and beheld + All the wealth that she had, + And the hungry bondmaids, + And maids of the hall. + + With no good in her heart + She donned her gold byrny, + Ere she thrust the sword point + Through the midst of her body: + On the boister's far side + Sank she adown, + And, smitten with sword, + Still bethought her of redes. + + "Let all come forth + Who are fain the red gold, + Or things less worthy + To win from my hands; + To each one I give + A necklace gilt over, + Wrought hangings and bed=gear, + And bright woven weed." + + All they kept silence, + And thought what to speak, + Then all at once + Answer gave: + "Full enow are death-doomed, + Fain are we to live yet, + Maids of the hall + All meet work winning." + + "From her wise heart at last + The linen-clad damsel, + The one of few years + Gave forth the word: + "I will that none driven + By hand or by word, + For our sake should lose + Well-loved life. + + "Thou on the bones of you + Surely shall burn, + Less dear treasure + At your departing + Nor with Menia's Meal (1) + Shall ye come to see me." + + "Sit thee down, Gunnar, + A word must I say to thee + Of the life's ruin + Of thy lightsome bride— + —Nor shall thy ship + Swim soft and sweetly + For all that I + Lay life adown. + + "Sooner than ye might deem + Shall ye make peace with Gudrun, + For the wise woman + Shall full in the young wife + The hard memory + Of her dead husband. + + "There is a may born + Reared by her mother, + Whiter and brighter + Than is the bright day; + She shall be Swanhild, + She shall be Sunbeam. + + "Thou shalt give Gudrun + Unto a great one, + Noble, well-praised + Of the world's folk; + Not with her goodwill, + Or love shalt thou give her; + Yet will Atli + Come to win her, + My very brother, + Born of Budli. + + —"Ah! Many a memory + Of how ye dealt with me, + How sorely, how evilly + Ye ever beguiled me, + How all pleasure left me + The while my life lasted—! + + "Fain wilt thou be + Oddrun to win, + But thy good liking + Shall Atli let; + But in secret wise + Shall ye win together, + And she shall love thee + As I had loved thee, + If in such wise + Fare had willed it. + + "But with all ill + Shall Atli sting thee, + Into the strait worm-close + Shall he cast thee. + + "But no long space + Shall slip away + Ere Atli too + All life shall lose, + Yea, all his weal + With the life of his sons, + For a dreadful bed + Dights Gudrun for him, + From a heart sore laden, + With the sword's sharp edge. + + "More seemly for Gudrun, + Your very sister, + In death to wend after + Her love first wed; + Had but good rede + To her been given, + Or if her heart + Had been like to my heart. + + —"Faint my speech groweth— + But for our sake + Ne'er shall she lose + Her life beloved; + The sea shall have her, + High billows bear her + Forth unto Jonakr's + Fair land of his fathers. + + "There shall she bear sons, + Stays of a heritage, + Stays of a heritage, + Jonakr's sons; + And Swanhild shall she + Send from the land, + That may born of her, + The may born of Sigurd. + + "Her shall bite + The rede of Bikki, + Whereas for no good + Wins Jormunrek life; + And so is clean perished + All the kin of Sigurd, + Yea, and more greeting, + And more for Gudrun. + + "And now one prayer + Yet pray I of thee— + That last word of mine + Here in the world— + So broad on the field + Be the burg of the dead + That fair space may be left + For us all to lie down, + All those that died + At Sigurd's death! + + "Hang round that burg + Fair hangings and shields, + Web by Gauls woven, + And folk of the Gauls: + There burn the Hun King + Lying beside me. + + "But on the other side + Burn by the Hun King + Those who served me + Strewn with treasure; + Two at the head, + And two at the feet, + Two hounds therewith, + And two hawks moreover: + Then is all dealt + With even dealing. + + "Lay there amidst us + The right-dight metal, + The sharp-edged steel, + That so lay erst; + When we both together + Into one bed went, + And were called by the name + Of man and wife. + + "Never, then, belike + Shall clash behind him + Valhall's bright door + With rings bedight: + And if my fellowship + Followeth after, + In no wretched wise + Then shall we wend. + + "For him shall follow + My five bondmaids, + My eight bondsmen, + No borel folk: + Yea, and my fosterer, + And my father's dower + That Budli of old days + Gave to his dear child. + + "Much have I spoken, + More would I speak, + If the sword would give me + Space for speech; + But my words are waning, + My wounds are swelling— + Naught but truth have I told— + —And now make I ending." +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Menia's Maid"—periphrasis for gold. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0051" id="link2H_4_0051"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD. + </h2> + <p> + After the death of Brynhild were made two bales, one for Sigurd, and that + was first burned; but Brynhild was burned on the other, and she was in a + chariot hung about with goodly hangings. + </p> + <p> + And so folk say that Brynhild drave in her chariot down along the way to + Hell, and passed by an abode where dwelt a certain giantess, and the + giantess spake:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Nay, with my goodwill + Never goest thou + Through this stone-pillared + Stead of mine! + More seemly for thee + To sit sewing the cloth, + Than to go look on + The love of another. + + "What dost thou, going + From the land of the Gauls, + O restless head, + To this mine house? + Golden girl, hast thou not, + If thou listest to hearken, + In sweet wise from thy hands + The blood of men washen?" + + BRYNHILD + "Nay, blame me naught, + Bride of the rock-hall, + Though I roved a warring + In the days that were; + The higher of us twain + Shall I ever be holden + When of our kind + Men make account." + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Thou, O Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Wert the worst ever born + Into the world; + For Giuki's children + Death hast thou gotten, + And turned to destruction + Their goodly dwelling." + + BRYNHILD + "I shall tell thee + True tale from my chariot, + O thou who naught wottest, + If thou listest to wot; + How for me they have gotten + Those heirs of Giuki, + A loveless life, + A life of lies. + + "Hild under helm, + The Hlymdale people, + E'en those who knew me, + Ever would call me. + + "The changeful shapes + Of us eight sisters, + The wise king bade + Under oak-tree to bear; + Of twelve winters was I, + If thou listest to wot, + When I sware to the young lord + Oaths of love. + + "Thereafter gat I + Mid the folk of the Goths, + For Helmgunnar the old, + Swift journey to Hell, + And gave to Aud's brother + The young, gain and glory; + Whereof overwrath + Waxed Odin with me. + + "So he shut me in shield-wall + In Skata grove, + Red shields and white + Close set around me; + And bade him alone + My slumber to break + Who in no land + Knew how to fear. + + "He set round my hall, + Toward the south quarter, + The Bane of all trees + Burning aloft; + And ruled that he only + Thereover should ride + Who should bring me the gold + O'er which Fafnir brooded. + + "Then upon Grani rode + The goodly gold-strewer + To where my fosterer + Ruled his fair dwelling. + He who alone there + Was deemed best of all, + The War-lord of the Danes, + Well worthy of men. + + "In peace did we sleep + Soft in one bed, + As though he had been + Naught but my brother: + There as we lay + Through eight nights wearing, + No hand in love + On each other we laid. + + "Yet thence blamed me, Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That I had slept + In the arms of Sigurd; + And then I wotted + As I fain had not wotted, + That they had bewrayed me + In my betrothals. + + "Ah! For unrest + All too long + Are men and women + Made alive! + Yet we twain together + Shall wear through the ages, + Sigurd and I.— + —Sink adown, O giant-wife!" +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0052" id="link2H_4_0052"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF BRYNHILD + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + HOGNI SAID: + "What hath wrought Sigurd + Of any wrong-doing + That the life of the famed one + Thou art fain of taking?" + + GUNNAR SAID: + "To me has Sigurd + Sworn many oaths, + Sworn many oaths, + And sworn them lying, + And he bewrayed me + When it behoved him + Of all folk to his troth + To be the most trusty." + + HOGNI SAID: + "Thee hath Brynhild + Unto all bale, + And all hate whetted, + And a work of sorrow; + For she grudges to Gudrun + All goodly life; + And to thee the bliss + Of her very body." + + .......... + + Some the wolf roasted, + Some minced the worm, + Some unto Guttorm + Gave the wolf-meat, + Or ever they might + In their lust for murder + On the high king + Lay deadly hand. + + Sigurd lay slain + On the south of the Rhine + High from the fair tree + Croaked forth the raven, + "Ah, yet shall Atli + On you redden edges, + The old oaths shall weigh + On your souls, O warriors." + + Without stood Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + And the first word she said + Was even this word: + "Where then is Sigurd, + Lord of the Warfolk, + Since my kin + Come riding the foremost? + + One word Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Our swords have smitten + Sigurd asunder, + And the grey horse hangs drooping + O'er his lord lying dead." + + Then quoth Brynhild, + Budli's daughter; + "Good weal shall ye have + Of weapons and lands, + That Sigurd alone + Would surely have ruled + If he had lived + But a little longer. + + "Ah, nothing seemly + For Sigurd to rule + Giuki's house + And the folk of the Goths, + When of him five sons + For the slaying of men, + Eager for battle, + Should have been begotten!" + + Then laughed Brynhild— + Loud rang the whole house— + One laugh only + From out her heart: + "Long shall your bliss be + Of lands and people, + Whereas the famed lord + You have felled to the earth!" + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter; + "Much thou speakest, + Many things fearful, + All grame be on Gunnar + The bane of Sigurd! + From a heart full of hate + Shall come heavy vengeance." + + Forth sped the even + Enow there was drunken, + Full enow was there + Of all soft speech; + And all men got sleep + When to bed they were gotten; + Gunnar only lay waking + Long after all men. + + His feet fell he to moving, + Fell to speak to himself + The waster of men, + Still turned in his mind + What on the bough + Those twain would be saying, + The raven and erne, + As they rode their ways homeward. + + But Brynhild awoke, + Budli's daughter, + May of the shield-folk, + A little ere morning: + "Thrust ye on, hold ye back, + —Now all harm is wrought,— + To tell of my sorrow, + Or to let all slip by me?" + + All kept silence + After her speaking, + None might know + That woman's mind, + Or why she must weep + To tell of the work + That laughing once + Of men she prayed. + + BRYNHILD SPAKE: + "In dreams, O Gunnar, + Grim things fell on me; + Dead-cold the hall was, + And my bed was a-cold, + And thou, lord, wert riding + Reft of all bliss, + Laden with fetters + 'Mid the host of thy foemen." + + "So now all ye, + O House of the Niblungs, + Shall be brought to naught, + O ye oath-breakers! + + "Think'st thou not, Gunnar, + How that betid, + When ye let the blood run + Both in one footstep? + With ill reward + Hast thou rewarded + His heart so fain + To be the foremost! + + "As well was seen + When he rode his ways, + That king of all worth, + Unto my wooing; + How the host-destroyer + Held to the vows + Sworn beforetime, + Sworn to the young king. + + "For his wounding-wand + All wrought with gold, + The king beloved + Laid between us; + Without were its edges + Wrought with fire, + But with venom-drops + Deep dyed within." +</pre> + <p> + Thus this song telleth of the death of Sigurd, and setteth forth how that + they slew him without doors; but some say that they slew him within doors, + sleeping in his bed. But the Dutch Folk say that they slew him out in the + wood: and so sayeth the ancient song of Gudrun, that Sigurd and the sons + of Giuki were riding to the Thing whenas he was slain. But all with one + accord say that they bewrayed him in their troth with him, and fell on him + as he lay unarrayed and unawares. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0053" id="link2H_4_0053"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE SECOND OR ANCIENT LAY OF GUDRUN. + </h2> + <p> + Thiodrek the King was in Atli's house, and had lost there the more part of + his men: so there Thiodrek and Gudrun bewailed their troubles one to the + other, and she spake and said:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + A may of all mays + My mother reared me + Bright in bower; + Well loved I my brethren, + Until that Giuki + With gold arrayed me, + With gold arrayed me, + And gave me to Sigurd. + + Such was my Sigurd, + Among the sons of Giuki + As is the green leek + O'er the low grass waxen, + Or a hart high-limbed + Over hurrying deer, + Or glede-red gold + Over grey silver. + + Till me they begrudged, + Those my brethren, + The fate to have him, + Who was first of all men; + Nor might they sleep, + Nor sit a-dooming, + Ere they let slay + My well-loved Sigurd. + + Grani ran to the Thing, + There was clatter to hear, + But never came Sigurd + Himself thereunto; + All the saddle-girt beasts + With blood were besprinkled, + As faint with the way + Neath the slayers they went. + + Then greeting I went + With Grani to talk, + And with tear-furrowed cheeks + I bade him tell all; + But drooping laid Grani, + His head in the grass, + For the steed well wotted + Of his master's slaying. + + A long while I wandered, + Long my mind wavered, + Ere the kings I might ask + Concerning my king. + + Then Gunnar hung head, + But Hogni told + Of the cruel slaying + Of my Sigurd: + "On the water's far side + Lies, smitten to death, + The bane of Guttorm + To the wolves given over. + + "Go, look on Sigurd, + On the ways that go southward, + There shalt thou hear + The ernes high screaming, + The ravens a-croaking + As their meat they crave for; + Thou shalt hear the wolves howling + Over thine husband. + + "How hast thou, Hogni, + The heart to tell me, + Me of joy made empty, + Of such misery? + Thy wretched heart + May the ravens tear + Wide over the world, + With no men mayst thou wend." + + One thing Hogni + Had for answer, + Fallen from his high heart, + Full of all trouble: + "More greeting yet, + O Gudrun, for thee, + If my heart the ravens + Should rend asunder!" + + Thence I turned + From the talk and the trouble + To go a leasing (1) + What the wolves had left me; + No sigh I made + No smote hands together, + Nor did I wail + As other women + When I sat over + My Sigurd slain. + + Night methought it, + And the moonless dark, + When I sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Better than all things + I deemed it would be + If they would let me + Cast my life by, + Or burn me up + As they burn the birch-wood. + + From the fell I wandered + Five days together, + Until the high hall + Of Half lay before me; + Seven seasons there + I sat with Thora, + The daughter of Hacon, + Up in Denmark. + + My heart to gladden + With gold she wrought + Southland halls + And swans of the Dane-folk; + There had we painted + The chiefs a-playing; + Fair our hands wrought + Folk of the kings. + + Red shields we did, + Doughty knights of the Huns, + Hosts spear-dight, hosts helm-dight, + All a high king's fellows; + And the ships of Sigmund + From the land swift sailing; + Heads gilt over + And prows fair graven. + + On the cloth we broidered + That tide of their battling, + Siggeir and Siggar, + South in Fion. + + Then heard Grimhild, + The Queen of Gothland, + How I was abiding, + Weighed down with woe; + And she thrust the cloth from her + And called to her sons, + And oft and eagerly + Asked them thereof, + Who for her son + Would their sister atone, + Who for her lord slain + Would lay down weregild. + + Fain was Gunnar + Gold to lay down + All wrongs to atone for, + And Hogni in likewise; + Then she asked who was fain + Of faring straightly, + The steed to saddle + To set forth the wain, + The horse to back, + And the hawk to fly, + To shoot forth the arrow + From out the yew-bow. + + Valdarr the Dane-king + Came with Jarisleif + Eymod the third went + Then went Jarizskar; + In kingly wise + In they wended, + The host of the Longbeards; + Red cloaks had they, + Byrnies short-cut, + Helms strong hammered, + Girt with glaives, + And hair red-gleaming. + + Each would give me + Gifts desired, + Gifts desired, + Speech dear to my heart, + If they might yet, + Despite my sorrow, + Win back my trust, + But in them nought I trusted. + + Then brought me Grimhild + A beaker to drink of, + Cold and bitter, + Wrong's memory to quench; + Made great was that drink + With the might of the earth, + With the death-cold sea + And the blood that Son (2) holdeth. + + On that horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that mead were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood, + And brown-burnt acorns; + The black dew of the hearth, (3) + And god-doomed dead beasts' inwards + And the swine's liver sodden, + For wrongs late done that deadens. + + Then waned my memory + When that was within me, + Of my lord 'mid the hall + By the iron laid low. + Three kings came + Before my knees + Ere she herself + Fell to speech with me. + + "I will give to thee, Gudrun, + Gold to be glad with, + All the great wealth + Of thy father gone from us, + Rings of red gold + And the great hall of Lodver, + And all fair hangings left + By the king late fallen. + + "Maids of the Huns + Woven pictures to make, + And work fair in gold + Till thou deem'st thyself glad. + Alone shalt thou rule + O'er the riches of Budli, + Shalt be made great with gold, + And be given to Atli." + + "Never will I + Wend to a husband, + Or wed the brother + Of Queen Brynhild; + Naught it beseems me + With the son of Budli + Kin to bring forth, + Or to live and be merry." + + "Nay, the high chiefs + Reward not with hatred, + For take heed that I + Was the first in this tale! + To thy heart shall it be + As if both these had life, + Sigurd and Sigmund, + When thou hast borne sons." + + "Naught may I, Grimhild, + Seek after gladness, + Nor deem aught hopeful + Of any high warrior, + Since wolf and raven + Were friends together, + The greedy, the cruel, + O'er great Sigurd's heart-blood." + + "Of all men that can be + For the noblest of kin + This king have I found, + And the foremost of all; + Him shalt thou have + Till with eld thou art heavy— + Be thou ever unwed, + If thou wilt naught of him!" + + "Nay, nay, bid me not + With thy words long abiding + To take unto me + That balefullest kin; + This king shall bid Gunnar + Be stung to his bane, + And shall cut the heart + From out of Hogni. + + "Nor shall I leave life + Ere the keen lord, + The eager in sword-play, + My hand shall make end of." + + Grimhild a-weeping + Took up the word then, + When the sore bale she wotted + Awaiting her sons, + And the bane hanging over + Her offspring beloved. + + "I will give thee, moreover, + Great lands, many men, + Wineberg and Valberg, + If thou wilt but have them; + Hold them lifelong, + And live happy, O daughter!" + + "Then him must I take + From among kingly men, + 'Gainst my heart's desire, + From the hands of my kinsfolk; + But no joy I look + To have from that lord: + Scarce may my brother's bane + Be a shield to my sons." + + Soon was each warrior + Seen on his horse, + But the Gaulish women + Into wains were gotten; + Then seven days long + O'er a cold land we rode, + And for seven other + Clove we the sea-waves. + But with the third seven + O'er dry land we wended. + + There the gate-wardens + Of the burg, high and wide, + Unlooked the barriers + Ere the burg-garth we rode to— + + ............ + + Atli woke me + When meseemed I was + Full evil of heart + For my kin dead slain. + + "In such wise did the Norns + Wake me or now."— + Fain was he to know + Of this ill foreshowing— + "That methought, O Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That thou setst in my heart + A sword wrought for guile." + + "For fires tokening I deem it + That dreaming of iron, + But for pride and for lust + The wrath of fair women + Against some bale + Belike, I shall burn thee + For thy solace and healing + Though hateful thou art." + + "In the fair garth methought + Had saplings fallen + E'en such as I would + Should have waxen ever; + Uprooted were these, + And reddened with blood, + And borne to the bench, + And folk bade me eat of them. + + "Methought from my hand then + Went hawks a-flying + Lacking their meat + To the land of all ill; + Methought that their hearts + Mingled with honey, + Swollen with blood + I ate amid sorrow. + + "Lo, next two whelps + From my hands I loosened, + Joyless were both, + And both a-howling; + And now their flesh + Became naught but corpses, + Whereof must I eat + But sore against my will." + + "O'er the prey of the fishers + Will folk give doom; + From the bright white fish + The heads will they take; + Within a few nights, + Fey as they are, + A little ere day + Of that draught will they eat." + + "Ne'er since lay I down, + Ne'er since would I sleep, + Hard of heart, in my bed:— + That deed have I to do. (4) +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "a vid lesa". "Leasing" is the word still + used for gleaning in many country sides in England. + (2) Son was the vessel into which was poured the blood of + Quasir, the God of Poetry. + (3) This means soot. + (4) The whole of this latter part is fragmentary and obscure; + there seems wanting to two of the dreams some trivial + interpretation by Gudrun, like those given by Hogni to + Kostbera in the Saga, of which nature, of course, the + interpretation contained in the last stanza but one is, as + we have rendered it: another rendering, from the different + reading of the earlier edition of "Edda" (Copenhagen, 1818) + would make this refer much more directly to the slaying of + her sons by Gudrun. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0054" id="link2H_4_0054"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE SONG OF ATLI. + </h2> + <p> + Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenger her brethren, as is told far and wide; + first she slew the sons of Atli, and then Atli himself; and she burned the + hall thereafter, and all the household with it: and about these matters is + this song made:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + In days long gone + Sent Atli to Gunnar + A crafty one riding, + Knefrud men called him; + To Giuki's garth came he, + To the hall of Gunnar, + To the benches gay-dight, + And the gladsome drinking. + + There drank the great folk + 'Mid the guileful one's silence, + Drank wine in their fair hall: + The Huns' wrath they feared + When Knefrud cried + In his cold voice, + As he sat on the high seat, + That man of the Southland: + + "Atli has sent me + Riding swift on his errands + On the bit-griping steed + Through dark woodways unbeaten, + To bid thee, King Gunnar, + Come to his fair bench + With helm well-adorned, + To the house of King Atli. + + "Shield shall ye have there + And spears ashen-shafted, + Helms ruddy with gold, + And hosts of the Huns; + Saddle-gear silver gilt, + Shirts red as blood, + The hedge of the warwife, + And horses bit-griping. + + "And he saith he will give you + Gnitaheath widespread, + And whistling spears + And prows well-gilded, + Might wealth + With the stead of Danpi, + And that noble wood + Men name the Murkwood." + + Then Gunnar turned head + And spake unto Hogni: + "What rede from thee, high one, + Since such things we hear? + No gold know I + On Gnitaheath, + That we for our parts + Have not portion as great. + + "Seven halls we have + Fulfilled of swords, + And hilts of gold + Each sword there has; + My horse is the best, + My blade is the keenest; + Fair my bow o'er the bench is, + Gleams my byrny with gold; + Brightest helm, brightest shield, + From Kiar's dwelling ere brought— + Better all things I have + Than all things of the Huns." + + HOGNI SAID: + "What mind has our sister + That a ring she hath sent us + In weed of wolves clad? + Bids she not to be wary? + For a wolf's hair I found + The fair ring wreathed about; + Wolf beset shall the way be + If we wend on this errand." + + No sons whetted Gunnar, + Nor none of his kin, + Nor learned men nor wise men, + Nor such as were mighty. + Then spake Gunnar + E'en as a king should speak, + Glorious in mead-hall + From great heart and high: + + "Rise up now, Fiornir, + Forth down the benches + Let the gold-cups of great ones + Pass in hands of my good-men! + Well shall we drink wine, + Draughts dear to our hearts, + Though the last of all feasts + In our fair house this be! + + "For the wolves shall rule + O'er the wealth of the Niblungs, + With the pine-woods' wardens + In Gunnar perish: + And the black-felled bears + With fierce teeth shall bite + For the glee of the dog kind, + If again comes not Gunnar." + + Then good men never shamed, + Greeting aloud, + Led the great king of men + From the garth of his home; + And cried the fair son + Of Hogni the king: + "Fare happy, O Lords, + Whereso your hearts lead you!" + + Then the bold knights + Let their bit-griping steeds + Wend swift o'er the fells, + Tread the murk-wood unknown, + All the Hunwood was shaking + As the hardy ones fared there; + O'er the green meads they urged + Their steeds shy of the goad. + + Then Atli's land saw they; + Great towers and strong, + And the bold men of Bikki, + Aloft on the burg: + The Southland folks' hall + Set with benches about, + Dight with bucklers well bounden, + And bright white shining shields. + + There drank Atli, + The awful Hun king, + Wine in his fair hall; + Without were the warders, + Gunnar's folk to have heed of, + Lest they had fared thither + With the whistling spear + War to wake 'gainst the king. + + But first came their sister + As they came to the hall, + Both her brethren she met, + With beer little gladdened: + "Bewrayed art thou, Gunnar! + What dost thou great king + To deal war to the Huns? + Go thou swift from the hall! + + Better, brother, hadst thou + Fared here in thy byrny + Than with helm gaily dight + Looked on Atli's great house: + Them hadst sat then in saddle + Through days bright with the sun + Fight to awaken + And fair fields to redden: + + "O'er the folk fate makes pale + Should the Norn's tears have fallen, + The shield mays of the Huns + Should have known of all sorrow; + And King Atli himself + To worm-close should be brought; + But now is the worm-close + Kept but for thee." + + Then spake Gunnar + Great 'mid the people: + "Over-late sister + The Niblungs to summon; + A long way to seek + The helping of warriors, + The high lord unshamed, + From the hills of the Rhine!" + + .............. + + Seven Hogni beat down + With his sword sharp-grinded, + And the eighth man he thrust + Amidst of the fire. + Ever so shall famed warrior + Fight with his foemen, + As Hogni fought + For the hand of Gunnar. + + But on Gunnar they fell, + And set him in fetters, + And bound hard and fast + That friend of Burgundians; + Then the warrior they asked + If he would buy life, + But life with gold + That king of the Goths. + + Nobly spake Gunnar, + Great lord of the Niblungs; + "Hogni's bleeding heart first + Shall lie in mine hand, + Cut from the breast + Of the bold-riding lord, + With bitter-sharp knife + From the son of the king." + + With guile the great one + Would they beguile, + On the wailing thrall + Laid they hand unwares, + And cut the heart + From out of Hjalli, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it to Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler, + Little like the heart + Of Hogni the hardy: + As much as it trembleth + Laid on the trencher + By the half more it trembled + In the breast of him hidden." + + Then laughed Hogni + When they cut the heart from him, + From the crest-smith yet quick, + Little thought he to quail. + The hard acorn of thought + From the high king they took, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hogni the hardy, + Little like to the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler. + Howso little it quaketh + Laid here on the dish, + Yet far less it quaked + In the breast of him laid. + + "So far mayst thou bide + From men's eyen, O Atli, + As from that treasure + Thou shalt abide! + + "Behold in my heart + Is hidden for ever + That hoard of the Niblungs, + Now Hogni is dead. + Doubt threw me two ways + While the twain of us lived, + But all that is gone + Now I live on alone. + + "The great Rhine shall rule + O'er the hate-raising treasure, + That gold of the Niblungs, + The seed of the gods: + In the weltering water + Shall that wealth lie a-gleaming, + Or it shine on the hands + Of the children of Huns!" + + Then cried Atli, + King of the Hun-folk, + "Drive forth your wains now + The slave is fast bounden." + And straightly thence + The bit-shaking steeds + Drew the hoard-warden, + The war-god to his death. + + Atli the great king, + Rode upon Glaum, + With shields set round about, + And sharp thorns of battle: + Gudrun, bound by wedlock + To these, victory made gods of, + Held back her tears + As the hall she ran into. + + "Let it fare with thee, Atli, + E'en after thine oaths sworn + To Gunnar fell often; + Yea, oaths sworn of old time, + By the sun sloping southward, + By the high burg of Sigry, + By the fair bed of rest, + By the red ring of Ull!" + + Now a host of men + Cast the high king alive + Into a close + Crept o'er within + With most foul worms, + Fulfilled of all venom, + Ready grave to dig + In his doughty heart. + + Wrathful-hearted he smote + The harp with his hand, + Gunnar laid there alone; + And loud rang the strings.— + In such wise ever + Should hardy ring-scatterer + Keep gold from all folk + In the garth of his foeman. + + Then Atli would wend + About his wide land, + On his steed brazen shod, + Back from the murder. + Din there was in the garth, + All thronged with the horses; + High the weapon-song rose + From men come from the heath. + + Out then went Gudrun, + 'Gainst Atli returning, + With a cup gilded over, + To greet the land's ruler; + "Come, then, and take it, + King glad in thine hall, + From Gudrun's hands, + For the hell-farers groan not!" + + Clashed the beakers of Atli, + Wine-laden on bench, + As in hall there a-gathered, + The Huns fell a-talking, + And the long-bearded eager ones + Entered therein, + From a murk den new-come, + From the murder of Gunnar. + + Then hastened the sweet-faced + Delight of the shield-folk, + Bright in the fair hall, + Wine to bear to them: + The dreadful woman + Gave dainties withal + To the lords pale with fate, + Laid strange word upon Atli: + + "The hearts of thy sons + Hast thou eaten, sword-dealer, + All bloody with death + And drenched with honey: + In most heavy mood + Brood o'er venison of men! + Drink rich draughts therewith, + Down the high benches send it! + + "Never callest thou now + From henceforth to thy knee + Fair Erp or fair Eiril, + Bright-faced with the drink; + Never seest thou them now + Amidmost the seat, + Scattering the gold, + Or shafting of spears; + Manes trimming duly, + Or driving steeds forth!" + + Din arose from the benches, + Dread song of men was there, + Noise 'mid the fair hangings, + As all Hun's children wept; + All saving Gudrun, + Who never gat greeting, + For her brethren bear-hardy + For her sweet sons and bright, + The young ones, the simple + Once gotten with Atli. + + ............... + + The seed of gold + Sowed the swan-bright woman, + Rings of red gold + She gave to the house-carls; + Fate let she wax, + Let the bright gold flow forth, + In naught spared that woman + The store-houses' wealth. + + Atli unaware + Was a-weary with drink; + No weapon had he, + No heeding of Gudrun— + Ah, the pity would be better, + When in soft wise they twain + Would full often embrace + Before the great lords! + + To the bed with sword-point + Blood gave she to drink + With a hand fain of death, + And she let the dogs loose: + Then in from the hall-door— + —Up waked the house-carls— + Hot brands she cast, + Gat revenge for her brethren. + + To the flame gave she all + Who therein might be found; + Fell adown the old timbers, + Reeked all treasure-houses; + There the shield-mays were burnt, + Their lives' span brought to naught; + In the fierce fire sank down + All the stead of the Budlungs. + + Wide told of is this— + Ne'er sithence in the world, + Thus fared bride clad in byrny + For her brothers' avenging; + For behold, this fair woman + To three kings of the people, + Hath brought very death + Or ever she died! +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0055" id="link2H_4_0055"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN. + </h2> + <p> + Gudrun went down unto the sea whenas she had slain Atli, and she cast + herself therein, for she was fain to end her life: but nowise might she + drown. She drave over the firths to the land of King Jonakr, and he wedded + her, and their sons were Sorli, and Erp, and Hamdir, and there was + Swanhild, Sigurd's daughter, nourished: and she was given to Jormunrek the + Mighty. Now Bikki was a man of his, and gave such counsel to Randver, the + king's son, as that he should take her; and with that counsel were the + young folk well content. + </p> + <p> + Then Bikki told the king, and the king let hang Randver, but bade Swanhild + be trodden under horses' feet. But when Gudrun heard thereof, she spake to + her sons— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Words of strife heard I, + Huger than any, + Woeful words spoken, + Sprung from all sorrow, + When Gudrun fierce-hearted + With the grimmest of words + Whetter her sons + Unto the slaying. + + "Why are ye sitting here? + Why sleep ye life away? + Why doth it grieve you nought? + Glad words to speak, + Now when your sister— + Young of years was she— + Has Jormunrek trodden + With the treading of horses?— + + "Black horses and white + In the highway of warriors; + Grey horses that know + The roads of the Goths.— + + "Little like are ye grown + To that Gunnar of old days! + Nought are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your mood were in aught + As the mood of my brethren, + Or the hardy hearts + Of the Kings of the Huns!" + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted— + "Little didst thou + Praise Hogni's doings, + When Sigurd woke + From out of sleep, + And the blue-white bed-gear + Upon thy bed + Grew red with man's blood— + With the blood of thy mate! + + "Too baleful vengeance + Wroughtest thou for thy brethren + Most sore and evil + When thy sons thou slewedst, + Else all we together + On Jormunrek + Had wrought sore vengeance + For that our sister. + + "Come, bring forth quickly + The Hun kings' bright gear, + Since thou has urged us + Unto the sword-Thing!" + + Laughing went Gudrun + To the bower of good gear, + Kings' crested helms + From chests she drew, + And wide-wrought byrnies + Bore to her sons: + Then on their horses + Load laid the heroes. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted— + "Never cometh again + His mother to see + The spear-god laid low + In the land of the Goths. + That one arvel mayst thou + For all of us drink, + For sister Swanhild, + And us thy sons." + + Greeted Gudrun + Giuki's daughter; + Sorrowing she went + In the forecourt to sit, + That she might tell, + With cheeks tear-furrowed, + Her weary wail + In many a wise. + + "Three fires I knew, + Three hearths I knew, + To three husbands' houses + Have I been carried; + And better than all + Had been Sigurd alone, + He whom my brethren + Brought to his bane. + + "Such sore grief as that + Methought never should be, + Yet more indeed + Was left for my torment + Then, when the great ones + Gave me to Atli. + + "My fair bright boys + I bade unto speech, + Nor yet might I win + Weregild for my bale, + Ere I had hewn off + Those Niblungs' heads. + + "To the sea-strand I went + With the Norns sorely wroth, + For I would thrust from me + The storm of their torment; + But the high billows + Would not drown, but bore me + Forth, till I stepped a-land + Longer to live. + + "Then I went a-bed— + —Ah, better in the old days, + This was the third time!— + To a king of the people; + Offspring I brought forth, + Props of a fair house, + Props of a fair house, + Jonakr's fair sons. + + "But around Swanhild + Bond-maidens sat, + Her, that of all mine + Most to my heart was; + Such was my Swanhild, + In my hall's midmost, + As is the sunbeam + Fair to beheld. + + "In gold I arrayed her, + And goodly raiment, + Or ever I gave her + To the folk of the Goths. + That was the hardest + Of my heavy woes, + When the bright hair,— + O the bright hair of Swanhild!— + In the mire was trodden + By the treading of horses. + + "This was the sorest, + When my love, my Sigurd, + Reft of glory + In his bed gat ending: + But this the grimmest + When glittering worms + Tore their way + Through the heart of Gunnar. + + "But this the keenest + When they cut to the quick + Of the hardy heart + Of the unfeared Hogni. + Of much of bale I mind me, + Of many griefs I mind me; + Why should I sit abiding + Yet more bale and more? + + "Thy coal-black horse, + O Sigurd, bridle, + The swift on the highway! + O let him speed hither! + Here sitteth no longer + Son or daughter, + More good gifts + To give to Gudrun! + + "Mindst thou not, Sigurd, + Of the speech betwixt us, + When on one bed + We both sat together, + O my great king— + That thou wouldst come to me + E'en from the hall of Hell, + I to thee from the fair earth? + + "Pile high, O earls + The oaken pile, + Let it be the highest + That ever queen had! + Let the fire burn swift, + My breast with woe laden, + And thaw all my heart, + Hard, heavy with sorrow!" + + Now may all earls + Be bettered in mind, + May the grief of all maidens + Ever be minished, + For this tale of sorrow + So told to its ending. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0056" id="link2H_4_0056"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE LAY OF HAMDIR + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Great deeds of bale + In the garth began, + At the sad dawning + The tide of Elves' sorrow + When day is a-waxing + And man's grief awaketh, + And the sorrow of each one + The early day quickeneth. + + Not now, not now, + Nor yesterday, + But long ago + Has that day worn by, + That ancientest time, + The first time to tell of, + Then, whenas Gudrun, + Born of Giuki, + Whetter her sons + To Swanhild's avenging. + + "Your sister's name + Was naught but Swanhild, + Whom Jormunrek + With horses has trodden!— + White horses and black + On the war-beaten way, + Grey horses that go + On the roads of the Goths. + + "All alone am I now + As in holt is the aspen; + As the fir-tree of boughs, + So of kin am I bare; + As bare of things longed for + As the willow of leaves + When the bough-breaking wind + The warm day endeth. + + "Few, sad, are ye left + O kings of my folk! + Yet alone living + Last shreds of my kin! + + "Ah, naught are ye grown + As that Gunnar of old days; + Naught are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your hearts were in aught + As the hearts of my brethren!" + + Then spake Hamdir + The high-hearted: + "Nought hadst thou to praise + The doings of Hogni, + When they woke up Sigurd + From out of slumber, + And in bed thou sat'st up + 'Mid the banes-men's laughter. + + "Then when thy bed=gear, + Blue-white, well woven + By art of craftsmen + All swam with thy king's blood; + The Sigurd died, + O'er his dead corpse thou sattest, + Not heeding aught gladsome, + Since Gunnar so willed it. + + "Great grief for Atli + Gatst thou by Erp's murder, + And the end of thine Eitil, + But worse grief for thyself. + Good to use sword + For the slaying of others + In such wise that its edge + Shall not turn on ourselves!" + + Then well spake Sorli + From a heart full of wisdom: + "No words will I + Make with my mother, + Though both ye twain + Need words belike— + What askest thou, Gudrun, + To let thee go greeting? + + "Weep for thy brethren, + Weep for thy sweet sons, + And thy nighest kinsfolk + Laid by the fight-side! + Yea, and thou Gudrun, + May'st greet for us twain + Sitting fey on our steeds + Doomed in far lands to die." + + From the garth forth they went + With hearts full of fury, + Sorli and Hamdir, + The sons of Gudrun, + And they met on the way + The wise in all wiles: + "And thou little Erp, + What helping from thee?" + + He of alien womb + Spake out in such wise: + "Good help for my kin, + Such as foot gives to foot, + Or flesh-covered hand + Gives unto hand!" + + "What helping for foot + That help that foot giveth, + Or for flesh-covered hand + The helping of hand?" + + Then spake Erp + Yet once again + Mock spake the prince + As he sat on his steed: + "Fool's deed to show + The way to a dastard!" + "Bold beyond measure," + Quoth they, "is the base-born!" + + Out from the sheath + Drew they the sheath-steel, + And the glaives' edges played + For the pleasure of hell; + By the third part they minished + The might that they had, + Their young kin they let lie + A-cold on the earth. + + Then their fur-cloaks they shook + And bound fast their swords, + In webs goodly woven + Those great ones were clad; + Young they went o'er the fells + Where the dew was new-fallen + Swift, on steeds of the Huns, + Heavy vengeance to wreak. + + Forth stretched the ways, + And an ill way they found, + Yea, their sister's son (1) + Hanging slain upon tree— + Wolf-trees by the wind made cold + At the town's westward + Loud with cranes' clatter— + Ill abiding there long! + + Din in the king's hall + Of men merry with drink, + And none might hearken + The horses' tramping + Or ever the warders + Their great horn winded. + + Then men went forth + To Jormunrek + To tell of the heeding + Of men under helm: + "Give ye good counsel! + Great ones are come hither, + For the wrong of men mighty + Was the may to death trodden." + + "Loud Jormunrek laughed, + And laid hand to his beard, + Nor bade bring his byrny, + But with the wine fighting, + Shook his red locks, + On his white shield sat staring, + And in his hand + Swung the gold cup on high. + + "Sweet sight for me + Those twain to set eyes on, + Sorli and Hamdir, + Here in my hall! + Then with bowstrings + Would I bind them, + And hang the good Giukings + Aloft on the gallows!" + + .............. + + Then spake Hrothglod + From off the high steps, + Spake the slim-fingered + Unto her son,— + —For a threat was cast forth + Of what ne'er should fall— + "Shall two men alone + Two hundred Gothfolk + Bind or bear down + In the midst of their burg?" + + ............... + + Strife and din in the hall, + Cups smitten asunder + Men lay low in blood + From the breasts of Goths flowing. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted: + "Thou cravedst, O king, + From the coming of us, + The sons of one mother, + Amidmost thine hall— + Look on these hands of thine, + Look on these feet of thine, + Cast by us, Jormunrek, + On to the flame!" + + Then cried aloud + The high Gods' kinsman (2) + Bold under byrny,— + Roared he as bears roar; + "Stones to the stout ones + That the spears bite not, + Nor the edges of steel, + These sons of Jonakr!" + + .............. + + QUOTH SORLI: + "Bale, brother, wroughtst thou + By that bag's (3) opening, + Oft from that bag + Rede of bale cometh! + Heart hast thou, Hamdir, + If thou hadst heart's wisdom + Great lack in a man + Who lacks wisdom and lore!" + + HAMDIR SAID: + "Yes, off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold + Whom we slew by the way; + The far-famed through the world— + Ah, the fares drave me on, + And the man war made holy, + There must I slay!" + + SORLI SAID: + "Unmeet we should do + As the doings of wolves are, + Raising wrong each 'gainst other + As the dogs of the Norns, + The greedy ones nourished + In waste steads of the world. + + In strong wise have we fought, + On Goths' corpses we stand, + Beat down by our edges, + E'en as ernes on the bough. + Great fame our might winneth, + Die we now, or to-morrow,— + No man lives till eve + Whom the fates doom at morning." + At the hall's gable-end + Fell Sorli to earth, + But Hamdir lay low + At the back of the houses. +</pre> + <p> + Now this is called the Ancient Lay of Hamdir. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Randver, the son of their sister's husband. + (2) Odin, namely. + (3) "Bag", his mouth. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0057" id="link2H_4_0057"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE LAMENT OF ODDRUN. + </h2> + <p> + There was a king hight Heidrik, and his daughter was called Borgny, and + the name of her lover was Vilmund. Now she might nowise be made lighter of + a child she travailed with, before Oddrun, Atil's sister, came to her,—she + who had been the love of Gunnar, Giuki's son. But of their speech together + has this been sung: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + I have hear tell + In ancient tales + How a may there came + To Morna-land, + Because no man + On mould abiding + For Heidrik's daughter + Might win healing. + + All that heard Oddrun, + Atil's sister, + How that the damsel + Had heavy sickness, + So she led from stall + Her bridled steed, + And on the swart one + Laid the saddle. + + She made her horse wend + O'er smooth ways of earth, + Until to a high-built + Hall she came; + Then the saddle she had + From the hungry horse, + And her ways wended + In along the wide hall, + And this word first + Spake forth therewith: + + "What is most famed, + Afield in Hunland, + Or what may be + Blithest in Hunland?" + + QUOTH THE HANDMAID: + "Here lieth Borgny, + Borne down by trouble, + Thy sweet friend, O Oddrun, + See to her helping!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Who of the lords + Hath laid this grief on her, + Why is the anguish + Of Borgny so weary?" + + THE HANDMAID SAID: + "He is hight Vilmund, + Friend of hawk-bearers, + He wrapped the damsel + In the warm bed-gear + Five winters long + Without her father's wotting." + + No more than this + They spake methinks; + Kind sat she down + By the damsel's knee; + Mightily sand Oddrun, + Sharp piercing songs + By Borgny's side: + + Till a maid and a boy + Might tread on the world's ways, + Blithe babes and sweet + Of Hogni's bane: + Then the damsel forewearied + The word took up, + The first word of all + That had won from her: + + "So may help thee + All helpful things, + Fey and Freyia, + And all the fair Gods, + As thou hast thrust + This torment from me!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Yet no heart had I + For thy helping, + Since never wert thou + Worthy of helping, + But my word I held to, + That of old was spoken + When the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + That every soul + I would ever help." + + BORGNY SAID: + "Right mad art thou, Oddrun, + And reft of thy wits, + Whereas thou speakest + Hard words to me + Thy fellow ever + Upon the earth + As of brothers twain, + We had been born." + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Well I mind me yet, + What thou saidst that evening, + Whenas I bore forth + Fair drink for Gunnar; + Such a thing, saidst thou, + Should fall out never, + For any may + Save for me alone." + + Mind had the damsel + Of the weary day + Whenas the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + And she sat her down, + The sorrowful woman, + To tell of the bale, + And the heavy trouble. + + "Nourished was I + In the hall of kings— + Most folk were glad— + 'Mid the council of great ones: + In fair life lived I, + And the wealth of my father + For five winters only, + While yet he had life. + + "Such were the last words + That ever he spake, + The king forewearied, + Ere his ways he went; + For he bade folk give me + The gold red-gleaming, + And give me in Southlands + To the son of Grimhild. + + "But Brynhild he bade + To the helm to betake her, + And said that Death-chooser + She should become; + And that no better + Might ever be born + Into the world, + If fate would not spoil it. + + "Brynhild in bower + Sewed at her broidery, + Folk she had + And fair lands about her; + Earth lay a-sleeping, + Slept the heavens aloft + When Fafnir's-bane + The burg first saw. + + "Then was war waged + With the Welsh-wrought sword + And the burg all broken + That Brynhild owned; + Nor wore long space, + E'en as well might be, + Ere all those wiles + Full well she knew. + + "Hard and dreadful + Was the vengeance she drew down, + So that all we + Have woe enow. + Through all lands of the world + Shall that story fare forth + How she did her to death + For the death of Sigurd. + + "But therewithal Gunnar + The gold-scatterer + Did I fall to loving + And should have loved him. + Rings of red gold + Would they give to Atli, + Would give to my brother + Things goodly and great. + + "Yea, fifteen steads + Would they give for me, + And the load of Grani + To have as a gift; + But then spake Atli, + That such was his will, + Never gift to take + From the sons of Giuki. + + "But we in nowise + Might love withstand, + And mine head must I lay + On my love, the ring-breaker; + And many there were + Among my kin, + Who said that they + Had seen us together. + + "Then Atli said + That I surely never + Would fall to crime + Or shameful folly: + But now let no one + For any other, + That shame deny + Where love has dealing. + + "For Atli sent + His serving-folk + Wide through the murkwood + Proof to win of me, + And thither they came + Where they ne'er should have come, + Where one bed we twain + Had dight betwixt us. + + "To those men had we given + Rings of red gold, + Naught to tell + Thereof to Atli, + But straight they hastened + Home to the house, + And all the tale + To Atli told. + + 'Whereas from Gudrun + Well they hid it, + Though better by half + Had she have known it. + + ................ + + "Din was there to hear + Of the hoofs gold-shod, + When into the garth + Rode the sons of Giuki. + + "There from Hogni + The heart they cut, + But into the worm-close + Cast the other. + There the king, the wise-hearted, + Swept his harp-strings, + For the might king + Had ever mind + That I to his helping + Soon should come. + + "But now was I gone + Yet once again + Unto Geirmund, + Good feast to make; + Yet had I hearing, + E'en out from Hlesey, + How of sore trouble + The harp-strings sang. + + "So I bade the bondmaids + Be ready swiftly, + For I listed to save + The life of the king, + And we let our ship + Swim over the sound, + Till Atli's dwelling + We saw all clearly. + + Then came the wretch (1) + Crawling out, + E'en Atli's mother, + All sorrow upon her! + A grave gat her sting + In the heart of Gunnar, + So that no helping + Was left for my hero. + + "O gold-clad woman, + Full oft I wonder + How I my life + Still hold thereafter, + For methought I loved + That light in battle, + The swift with the sword, + As my very self. + + "Thou hast sat and hearkened + As I have told thee + Of many an ill-fate, + Mine and theirs— + Each man liveth + E'en as he may live— + Now hath gone forth + The greeting of Oddrun." +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Atli's mother took the form of the only adder that was not + lulled to sleep by Gunnar's harp-playing, and who slew him. +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1152 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f228b38 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #1152 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1152) diff --git a/old/1152-h.zip b/old/1152-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f33907 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1152-h.zip diff --git a/old/1152-h/1152-h.htm b/old/1152-h/1152-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..648691f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1152-h/1152-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,10005 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga), by Anonymous + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +Project Gutenberg's The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga), by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) + With Excerpts from the Poetic Edda + +Author: Anonymous + +Release Date: August 7, 2008 [EBook #1152] +Last Updated: January 15, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS *** + + + + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings, and David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS, (VOLSUNGA SAGA) + </h1> + <h3> + WITH EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA <br /><br /> By Anonymous + </h3> + <div class="mynote"> + <p> + Originally written in Icelandic (Old Norse) in the thirteenth century + A.D., by an unknown hand. However, most of the material is based + substantially on previous works, some centuries older. A few of these + works have been preserved in the collection of Norse poetry known as the + "Poetic Edda". + </p> + <p> + The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Story of the + Volsungs", translated by William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson (Walter + Scott Press, London, 1888). + </p> + <p> + Douglas B. Killings + </p> + SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: RECOMMENDED READING— + <p> + Anonymous: "Kudrun", Translated by Marion E. Gibbs & Sidney Johnson + (Garland Pub., New York, 1992). + </p> + <p> + Anonymous: "Nibelungenlied", Translated by A.T. Hatto (Penguin Classics, + London, 1962). + </p> + <p> + Saxo Grammaticus: "The First Nine Books of the Danish History", + Translated by Oliver Elton (London, 1894; Reissued by the Online + Medieval and Classical Library as E-Text OMACL #28, 1997). + </p> + <br /> + </div> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_INTR"> INTRODUCTION </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0003"> THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS. </a> + </p> + <p> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I. </a> Of Sigi, the Son of + Odin <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II. </a> Of + the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son of Sigi <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III. </a> Of the Sword that + Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the Branstock <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV. </a> How King Siggeir + wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his son to Gothland <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V. </a> Of the Slaying of + King Volsung <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI. </a> Of + how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to Sigmund <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII. </a> Of the Birth of + Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER + VIII. </a> The Death of King Siggeir and of Signy <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX. </a> How Helgi, the son + of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his Realm, and wedded Sigrun <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X. </a> The ending of + Sinfjotli, Sigmund's Son <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI. + </a> Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield + up his Sword again <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XII. </a> Of + the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King Alf <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER XIII. </a> Of the Birth and + Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0014"> + CHAPTER XIV. </a> Regin's tale of his Brothers, and of the + Gold called Andvari's Hoard <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER + XV. </a> Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sword + Gram <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER XVI. </a> The + prophecy of Grifir <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER XVII. + </a> Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0018"> CHAPTER XVIII. </a> Of the Slaying of + the Worm Fafnir <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER XIX. </a> Of + the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0020"> + CHAPTER XX. </a> Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the + Mountain <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0021"> CHAPTER XXI. </a> More + Wise Words of Brynhild <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0022"> CHAPTER XXII. + </a> Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0023"> CHAPTER XXIII. </a> Sigurd comes to + Hlymdale <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0024"> CHAPTER XXIV. </a> Sigurd + sees Brynhild at Hlymdale <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0025"> CHAPTER + XXV. </a> Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0026"> CHAPTER XXVI. </a> Sigurd comes to + the Giukings and is wedded to Gudrun <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0027"> + CHAPTER XXVII. </a> The Wooing of Brynhild <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0028"> CHAPTER XXVIII. </a> How the Queens + held angry converse together at the Bathing <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0029"> CHAPTER XXIX. </a> Of Brynhild's great + Grief and Mourning <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0030"> CHAPTER XXX. </a> Of + the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0031"> + CHAPTER XXXI. </a> Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd + dead, as it is told told in ancient Songs <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0032"> CHAPTER XXXII. </a> Of the Ending of + Brynhild <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0033"> CHAPTER XXXIII. </a> Gudrun + wedded to Atli <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0034"> CHAPTER XXXIV. </a> Atli + bids the Giukings to him <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0035"> CHAPTER + XXXV. </a> The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0036"> CHAPTER XXXVI. </a> Of the Journey + of the Giukings to King Atli <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0037"> CHAPTER + XXXVII. </a> The Battle in the Burg of King Atli <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0038"> CHAPTER XXXVIII. </a> Of + the slaying of the Giukings <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0039"> CHAPTER + XXXIX. </a> The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk <br /><br /> + <a href="#link2HCH0040"> CHAPTER XL. </a> How Gudrun cast + herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore again <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0041"> CHAPTER XLI. </a> Of the Wedding and + Slaying of Swanhild <br /><br /> <a href="#link2HCH0042"> CHAPTER XLII. + </a> Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild <br /><br /> <a + href="#link2HCH0043"> CHAPTER XLIII. </a> The Latter End of + all the Kin of the Giukings <br /><br /><br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_APPE"> APPENDIX: EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_PART"> PART OF THE SECOND LAY OF HELGI HUNDINGS-BANE + (1) </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_PART2"> PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0050"> THE LAY CALLED THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0051"> THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0052"> FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF BRYNHILD </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0053"> THE SECOND OR ANCIENT LAY OF GUDRUN. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0054"> THE SONG OF ATLI. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0055"> THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0056"> THE LAY OF HAMDIR </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0057"> THE LAMENT OF ODDRUN. </a> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_INTR" id="link2H_INTR"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + INTRODUCTION + </h2> + <p> + It would seem fitting for a Northern folk, deriving the greater and better + part of their speech, laws, and customs from a Northern root, that the + North should be to them, if not a holy land, yet at least a place more to + be regarded than any part of the world beside; that howsoever their + knowledge widened of other men, the faith and deeds of their forefathers + would never lack interest for them, but would always be kept in + remembrance. One cause after another has, however, aided in turning + attention to classic men and lands at the cost of our own history. Among + battles, "every schoolboy" knows the story of Marathon or Salamis, while + it would be hard indeed to find one who did more than recognise the name, + if even that, of the great fights of Hafrsfirth or Sticklestead. The + language and history of Greece and Rome, their laws and religions, have + been always held part of the learning needful to an educated man, but no + trouble has been taken to make him familiar with his own people or their + tongue. Even that Englishman who knew Alfred, Bede, Caedmon, as well as he + knew Plato, Caesar, Cicero, or Pericles, would be hard bestead were he + asked about the great peoples from whom we sprang; the warring of Harold + Fairhair or Saint Olaf; the Viking (1) kingdoms in these (the British) + Western Isles; the settlement of Iceland, or even of Normandy. The + knowledge of all these things would now be even smaller than it is among + us were it not that there was one land left where the olden learning found + refuge and was kept in being. In England, Germany, and the rest of Europe, + what is left of the traditions of pagan times has been altered in a + thousand ways by foreign influence, even as the peoples and their speech + have been by the influx of foreign blood; but Iceland held to the old + tongue that was once the universal speech of northern folk, and held also + the great stores of tale and poem that are slowly becoming once more the + common heritage of their descendants. The truth, care, and literary beauty + of its records; the varied and strong life shown alike in tale and + history; and the preservation of the old speech, character, and tradition—a + people placed apart as the Icelanders have been—combine to make + valuable what Iceland holds for us. Not before 1770, when Bishop Percy + translated Mallet's "Northern Antiquities", was anything known here of + Icelandic, or its literature. Only within the latter part of this century + has it been studied, and in the brief book-list at the end of this volume + may be seen the little that has been done as yet. It is, however, becoming + ever clearer, and to an increasing number, how supremely important is + Icelandic as a word-hoard to the English-speaking peoples, and that in its + legend, song, and story there is a very mine of noble and pleasant beauty + and high manhood. That which has been done, one may hope, is but the + beginning of a great new birth, that shall give back to our language and + literature all that heedlessness and ignorance bid fair for awhile to + destroy. + </p> + <p> + The Scando-Gothic peoples who poured southward and westward over Europe, + to shake empires and found kingdoms, to meet Greek and Roman in conflict, + and levy tribute everywhere, had kept up their constantly-recruited waves + of incursion, until they had raised a barrier of their own blood. It was + their own kin, the sons of earlier invaders, who stayed the landward march + of the Northmen in the time of Charlemagne. To the Southlands their road + by land was henceforth closed. Then begins the day of the Vikings, who, + for two hundred years and more, "held the world at ransom." Under many and + brave leaders they first of all came round the "Western Isles" (2) toward + the end of the eighth century; soon after they invaded Normandy, and + harried the coasts of France; gradually they lengthened their voyages + until there was no shore of the then known world upon which they were + unseen or unfelt. A glance at English history will show the large part of + it they fill, and how they took tribute from the Anglo-Saxons, who, by the + way, were far nearer kin to them than is usually thought. In Ireland, + where the old civilisation was falling to pieces, they founded kingdoms at + Limerick and Dublin among other places; (3) the last named, of which the + first king, Olaf the White, was traditionally descended of Sigurd the + Volsung, (4) endured even to the English invasion, when it was taken by + men of the same Viking blood a little altered. What effect they produced + upon the natives may be seen from the description given by the unknown + historian of the "Wars of the Gaedhil with the Gaill": "In a word, + although there were an hundred hard-steeled iron heads on one neck, and an + hundred sharp, ready, cool, never-rusting brazen tongues in each head, and + an hundred garrulous, loud, unceasing voices from each tongue, they could + not recount, or narrate, or enumerate, or tell what all the Gaedhil + suffered in common—both men and women, laity and clergy, old and + young, noble and ignoble—of hardship, and of injury, and of + oppression, in every house, from these valiant, wrathful, purely pagan + people. Even though great were this cruelty, oppression, and tyranny, + though numerous were the oft-victorious clans of the many-familied Erinn; + though numerous their kings, and their royal chiefs, and their princes; + though numerous their heroes and champions, and their brave soldiers, + their chiefs of valour and renown and deeds of arms; yet not one of them + was able to give relief, alleviation, or deliverance from that oppression + and tyranny, from the numbers and multitudes, and the cruelty and the + wrath of the brutal, ferocious, furious, untamed, implacable hordes by + whom that oppression was inflicted, because of the excellence of their + polished, ample, treble, heavy, trusty, glittering corslets; and their + hard, strong, valiant swords; and their well-riveted long spears, and + their ready, brilliant arms of valour besides; and because of the + greatness of their achievements and of their deeds, their bravery, and + their valour, their strength, and their venom, and their ferocity, and + because of the excess of their thirst and their hunger for the brave, + fruitful, nobly-inhabited, full of cataracts, rivers, bays, pure, + smooth-plained, sweet grassy land of Erinn"—(pp. 52-53). Some part + of this, however, must be abated, because the chronicler is exalting the + terror-striking enemy that he may still further exalt his own people, the + Dal Cais, who did so much under Brian Boroimhe to check the inroads of the + Northmen. When a book does (5) appear, which has been announced these ten + years past, we shall have more material for the reconstruction of the life + of those times than is now anywhere accessible. Viking earldoms also were + the Orkneys, Faroes, and Shetlands. So late as 1171, in the reign of Henry + II., the year after Beckett's murder, Earl Sweyn Asleifsson of Orkney, who + had long been the terror of the western seas, "fared a sea-roving" and + scoured the western coast of England, Man, and the east of Ireland, but + was killed in an attack on his kinsmen of Dublin. He had used to go upon a + regular plan that may be taken as typical of the homely manner of most of + his like in their cruising: "Sweyn had in the spring hard work, and made + them lay down very much seed, and looked much after it himself. But when + that toil was ended, he fared away every spring on a viking-voyage, and + harried about among the southern isles and Ireland, and came home after + midsummer. That he called spring-viking. Then he was at home until the + corn-fields were reaped down, and the grain seen to and stored. Then he + fared away on a viking-voyage, and then he did not come home till the + winter was one month off, and that he called his autumn-viking." (6) + </p> + <p> + Toward the end of the ninth century Harold Fairhair, either spurred by the + example of Charlemagne, or really prompted, as Snorri Sturluson tells us, + resolved to bring all Norway under him. As Snorri has it in + "Heimskringla": "King Harold sent his men to a girl hight Gyda.... The + king wanted her for his leman; for she was wondrous beautiful but of high + mood withal. Now when the messengers came there and gave their message to + her, she made answer that she would not throw herself away even to take a + king for her husband, who swayed no greater kingdom than a few districts; + 'And methinks,' said she, 'it is a marvel that no king here in Norway will + put all the land under him, after the fashion that Gorm the Old did in + Denmark, or Eric at Upsala.' The messengers deemed this a dreadfully + proud-spoken answer, and asked her what she thought would come of such an + one, for Harold was so mighty a man that his asking was good enough for + her. But although she had replied to their saying otherwise than they + would, they saw no likelihood, for this while, of bearing her along with + them against her will, so they made ready to fare back again. When they + were ready and the folk followed them out, Gyda said to the messengers—'Now + tell to King Harold these my words:—I will only agree to be his + lawful wife upon the condition that he shall first, for sake of me, put + under him the whole of Norway, so that he may bear sway over that kingdom + as freely and fully as King Eric over the realm of Sweden, or King Gorm + over Denmark; for only then, methinks, can he be called king of a people.' + Now his men came back to King Harold, bringing him the words of the girl, + and saying she was so bold and heedless that she well deserved the king + should send a greater troop of people for her, and put her to some + disgrace. Then answered the king. 'This maid has not spoken or done so + much amiss that she should be punished, but the rather should she be + thanked for her words. She has reminded me,' said he, 'of somewhat that it + seems wonderful I did not think of before. And now,' added he, 'I make the + solemn vow, and take who made me and rules over all things, to witness + that never shall I clip or comb my hair until I have subdued all Norway + with scatt, and duties, and lordships; or, if not, have died in the + seeking.' Guttorm gave great thanks to the king for his oath, saying it + was "royal work fulfilling royal rede." The new and strange government + that Harold tried to enforce—nothing less than the feudal system in + a rough guise —which made those who had hitherto been their own men + save at special times, the king's men at all times, and laid freemen under + tax, was withstood as long as might be by the sturdy Norsemen. It was only + by dint of hard fighting that he slowly won his way, until at Hafrsfirth + he finally crushed all effective opposition. But the discontented, "and + they were a great multitude," fled oversea to the outlands, Iceland, the + Faroes, the Orkneys, and Ireland. The whole coast of Europe, even to + Greece and the shores of the Black Sea, the northern shores of Africa, and + the western part of Asia, felt the effects also. Rolf Pad-th'-hoof, son of + Harold's dear friend Rognvald, made an outlaw for a cattle-raid within the + bounds of the kingdom, betook himself to France, and, with his men, + founded a new people and a dynasty. + </p> + <p> + Iceland had been known for a good many years, but its only dwellers had + been Irish Culdees, who sought that lonely land to pray in peace. Now, + however, both from Norway and the Western Isles settlers began to come in. + Aud, widow of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, came, bringing with her many + of mixed blood, for the Gaedhil (pronounced "Gael", Irish) and the Gaill + (pronounced "Gaul", strangers) not only fought furiously, but made friends + firmly, and often intermarried. Indeed, the Westmen were among the first + arrivals, and took the best parts of the island—on its western + shore, appropriately enough. After a time the Vikings who had settled in + the Isles so worried Harold and his kingdom, upon which they swooped every + other while, that he drew together a mighty force, and fell upon them + wheresoever he could find them, and followed them up with fire and sword; + and this he did twice, so that in those lands none could abide but folk + who were content to be his men, however lightly they might hold their + allegiance. Hence it was to Iceland that all turned who held to the old + ways, and for over sixty years from the first comer there was a stream of + hardy men pouring in, with their families and their belongings, simple + yeomen, great and warwise chieftains, rich landowners, who had left their + land "for the overbearing of King Harold," as the "Landnamabok" (7) has + it. "There also we shall escape the troubling of kings and scoundrels", + says the "Vatsdaelasaga". So much of the best blood left Norway that the + king tried to stay the leak by fines and punishments, but in vain. + </p> + <p> + As his ship neared the shore, the new-coming chief would leave it to the + gods as to where he settled. The hallowed pillars of the high seat, which + were carried away from his old abode, were thrown overboard, with certain + rites, and were let drive with wind and wave until they came ashore. The + piece of land which lay next the beach they were flung upon was then + viewed from the nearest hill-summit, and place of the homestead picked + out. Then the land was hallowed by being encircled with fire, parcelled + among the band, and marked out with boundary-signs; the houses were built, + the "town" or home-field walled in, a temple put up, and the settlement + soon assumed shape. In 1100 there were 4500 franklins, making a population + of about 50,000, fully three-fourths of whom had a strong infusion of + Celtic blood in them. The mode of life was, and is, rather pastoral than + aught else. In the 39,200 square miles of the island's area there are now + about 250 acres of cultivated land, and although there has been much more + in times past, the Icelanders have always been forced to reckon upon + flocks and herds as their chief resources, grain of all kinds, even rye, + only growing in a few favoured places, and very rarely there; the hay, + self-sown, being the only certain harvest. On the coast fishing and + fowling were of help, but nine-tenths of the folk lived by their sheep and + cattle. Potatoes, carrots, turnips, and several kinds of cabbage have, + however, been lately grown with success. They produced their own food and + clothing, and could export enough wool, cloth, horn, dried fish, etc., as + enabled them to obtain wood for building, iron for tools, honey, wine, + grain, etc, to the extent of their simple needs. Life and work was lotted + by the seasons and their changes; outdoor work—fishing, herding, + hay-making, and fuel-getting—filling the long days of summer, while + the long, dark winter was used in weaving and a hundred indoor crafts. The + climate is not so bad as might be expected, seeing that the island touches + the polar circle, the mean temperature at Reykjavik being 39 degrees. + </p> + <p> + The religion which the settlers took with them into Iceland—the + ethnic religion of the Norsefolk, which fought its last great fight at + Sticklestead, where Olaf Haraldsson lost his life and won the name of + Saint—was, like all religions, a compound of myths, those which had + survived from savage days, and those which expressed the various degrees + of a growing knowledge of life and better understanding of nature. Some + historians and commentators are still fond of the unscientific method of + taking a later religion, in this case christianity, and writing down all + apparently coincident parts of belief, as having been borrowed from the + christian teachings by the Norsefolk, while all that remain they lump + under some slighting head. Every folk has from the beginning of time + sought to explain the wonders of nature, and has, after its own fashion, + set forth the mysteries of life. The lowest savage, no less than his more + advanced brother, has a philosophy of the universe by which he solves the + world-problem to his own satisfaction, and seeks to reconcile his conduct + with his conception of the nature of things. Now, it is not to be thought, + save by "a priori" reasoners, that such a folk as the Northmen—a + mighty folk, far advanced in the arts of life, imaginative, literary—should + have had no further creed than the totemistic myths of their primitive + state; a state they have wholly left ere they enter history. Judging from + universal analogy, the religion of which record remains to us was just + what might be looked for at the particular stage of advancement the + Northmen had reached. Of course something may have been gained from + contact with other peoples—from the Greeks during the long years in + which the northern races pressed upon their frontier; from the Irish + during the existence of the western viking-kingdoms; but what I + particularly warn young students against is the constant effort of a + certain order of minds to wrest facts into agreement with their pet + theories of religion or what not. The whole tendency of the more modern + investigation shows that the period of myth-transmission is long over ere + history begins. The same confusion of different stages of myth-making is + to be found in the Greek religion, and indeed in those of all peoples; + similar conditions of mind produce similar practices, apart from all + borrowing of ideas and manners; in Greece we find snake-dances, + bear-dances, swimming with sacred pigs, leaping about in imitation of + wolves, dog-feasts, and offering of dogs' flesh to the gods—all of + them practices dating from crude savagery, mingled with ideas of exalted + and noble beauty, but none now, save a bigot, would think of accusing the + Greeks of having stolen all their higher beliefs. Even were some part of + the matter of their myths taken from others, yet the Norsemen have given + their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, and placed them upon a high + level that is all their own. (8) From the prose Edda the following all too + brief statement of the salient points of Norse belief is made up:—"The + first and eldest of gods is hight Allfather; he lives from all ages, and + rules over all his realm, and sways all things great and small; he + smithied heaven and earth, and the lift, and all that belongs to them; + what is most, he made man, and gave him a soul that shall live and never + perish; and all men that are right-minded shall live and be with himself + in Vingolf; but wicked men fare to Hell, and thence into Niithell, that is + beneath in the ninth world. Before the earth ''twas the morning of time, + when yet naught was, nor sand nor sea was there, nor cooling streams. + Earth was not found, nor Heaven above; a Yawning-gap there was, but grass + nowhere.' Many ages ere the earth was shapen was Niflheim made, but first + was that land in the southern sphere hight Muspell, that burns and blazes, + and may not be trodden by those who are outlandish and have no heritage + there. Surtr sits on the border to guard the land; at the end of the world + he will fare forth, and harry and overcome all the gods and burn the world + with fire. Ere the races were yet mingled, or the folk of men grew, + Yawning-gap, which looked towards the north parts, was filled with thick + and heavy ice and rime, and everywhere within were fog and gusts; but the + south side of Yawning-gap lightened by the sparks and gledes that flew out + of Muspell-heim; as cold arose out of Niflheim and all things grim, so was + that part that looked towards Muspell hot and bright; but Yawning-gap was + as light as windless air, and when the blast of heat met the rime, so that + it melted and dropped and quickened; from those life-drops there was + shaped the likeness of a man, and he was named Ymir; he was bad, and all + his kind; and so it is said, when he slept he fell into a sweat; then + waxed under his left hand a man and a woman, and one of his feet got a son + with the other, and thence cometh the Hrimthursar. The next thing when the + rime dropped was that the cow hight Audhumla was made of it; but four + milk-rivers ran out of her teats, and she fed Ymir; she licked rime-stones + that were salt, and the first day there came at even, out of the stones, a + man's hair, the second day a man's head, the third day all the man was + there. He is named Turi; he was fair of face, great and mighty; he gat a + son named Bor, who took to him Besla, daughter of Bolthorn, the giant, and + they had three sons, Odin, Vili, and Ve. Bor's sons slew Ymir the giant, + but when he fell there ran so much blood out of his wounds that all the + kin of the Hrimthursar were drowned, save Hvergelmir and his household, + who got away in a boat. Then Bor's sons took Ymir and bore him into the + midst of Yawning-gap, and made of him the earth; of his blood seas and + waters, of his flesh earth was made; they set the earth fast, and laid the + sea round about it in a ring without; of his bones were made rocks; stones + and pebbles of his teeth and jaws and the bones that were broken; they + took his skull and made the lift thereof, and set it up over the earth + with four sides, and under each corner they set dwarfs, and they took his + brain and cast it aloft, and made clouds. They took the sparks and gledes + that went loose, and had been cast out of Muspellheim, and set them in the + lift to give light; they gave resting-places to all fires, and set some in + the lift; some fared free under it, and they gave them a place and shaped + their goings. A wondrous great smithying, and deftly done. The earth is + fashioned round without, and there beyond, round about it lies the deep + sea; and on that sea-strand the gods gave land for an abode to the giant + kind, but within on the earth made they a burg round the world against + restless giants, and for this burg reared they the brows of Ymir, and + called the burg Midgard. The gods went along the sea-strand and found two + stocks, and shaped out of them men; the first gave soul and life, the + second wit and will to move, the third face, hearing, speech, and + eyesight. They gave them clothing and names; the man Ask and the woman + Embla; thence was mankind begotten, to whom an abode was given under + Midgard. Then next Bor's sons made them a burg in the midst of the world, + that is called Asgard; there abode the gods and their kind, and wrought + thence many tidings and feats, both on earth and in the Sky. Odin, who is + hight Allfather, for that he is the father of all men and sat there in his + high seat, seeing over the whole world and each man's doings, and knew all + things that he saw. His wife was called Frigg, and their offspring is the + Asa-stock, who dwell in Asgard and the realms about it, and all that stock + are known to be gods. The daughter and wife of Odin was Earth, and of her + he got Thor, him followed strength and sturdiness, thereby quells he all + things quick; the strongest of all gods and men, he has also three things + of great price, the hammer Miolnir, the best of strength belts, and when + he girds that about him waxes his god strength one-half, and his iron + gloves that he may not miss for holding his hammer's haft. Balidr is + Odin's second son, and of him it is good to say, he is fair and: bright in + face, and hair, and body, and him all praise; he is wise and fair-spoken + and mild, and that nature is in him none may withstand his doom. Tyr is + daring and best of mood; there is a saw that he is tyrstrong who is before + other men and never yields; he is also so wise that it is said he is + tyrlearned who is wise. Bragi is famous for wisdom, and best in + tongue-wit, and cunning speech, and song-craft. 'And many other are there, + good and great; and one, Loki, fair of face, ill in temper and fickle of + mood, is called the backbiter of the Asa, and speaker of evil redes and + shame of all gods and men; he has above all that craft called sleight, and + cheats all in all things. Among the children of Loki are Fenris-wolf and + Midgards-worm; the second lies about all the world in the deep sea, + holding his tail in his teeth, though some say Thor has slain him; but + Fenris-wolf is bound until the doom of the gods, when gods and men shall + come to an end, and earth and heaven be burnt, when he shall slay Odin. + After this the earth shoots up from the sea, and it is green and fair, and + the fields bear unsown, and gods and men shall be alive again, and sit in + fair halls, and talk of old tales and the tidings that happened aforetime. + The head-seat, or holiest-stead, of the gods is at Yggdrasil's ash, which + is of all trees best and biggest; its boughs are spread over the whole + world and stand above heaven; one root of the ash is in heaven, and under + the root is the right holy spring; there hold the gods doom every day; the + second root is with the Hrimthursar, where before was Yawning-gap; under + that root is Mimir's spring, where knowledge and wit lie hidden; thither + came Allfather and begged a drink, but got it not before he left his eye + in pledge; the third root is over Niflheim, and the worm Nidhogg gnaws the + root beneath. A fair hall stands under the ash by the spring, and out of + it come three maidens, Norns, named Has-been, Being, Will-be, who shape + the lives of men; there are beside other Norns, who come to every man that + is born to shape his life, and some of these are good and some evil. In + the boughs of the ash sits an eagle, wise in much, and between his eyes + sits the hawk Vedrfalnir; the squirrel Ratatoskr runs up and down along + the ash, bearing words of hate betwixt the eagle and the worm. Those Norns + who abide by the holy spring draw from it every day water, and take the + clay that lies around the well, and sprinkle them up over the ash for that + its boughs should not wither or rot. All those men that have fallen in the + fight, and borne wounds and toil unto death, from the beginning of the + world, are come to Odin in Valhall; a very great throng is there, and many + more shall yet come; the flesh of the boar Soerfmnir is sodden for them + every day, and he is whole again at even; and the mead they drink that + flows from the teats of the she-goat Heidhrun. The meat Odin has on his + board he gives to his two wolves, Geri and Freki, and he needs no meat, + wine is to him both meat and drink; ravens twain sit on his shoulders, and + say into his ear all tidings that they see and hear; they are called + Huginn and Muninn (mind and memory); them sends he at dawn to fly over the + whole world, and they come back at breakfast-tide, thereby becomes he wise + in many tidings, and for this men call him Raven's-god. Every day, when + they have clothed them, the heroes put on their arms and go out into the + yard and fight and fell each other; that is their play, and when it looks + toward mealtime, then ride they home to Valhall and sit down to drink. For + murderers and men forsworn is a great hall, and a bad, and the doors look + northward; it is altogether wrought of adder-backs like a wattled house, + but the worms' heads turn into the house, and blow venom, so that rivers + of venom run along the hall, and in those rivers must such men wade + forever." There was no priest-class; every chief was priest for his own + folk, offered sacrifice, performed ceremonies, and so on. + </p> + <p> + In politics the homestead, with its franklin-owner, was the unit; the + "thing", or hundred-moot, the primal organisation, and the "godord", or + chieftainship, its tie. The chief who had led a band of kinsmen and + followers to the new country, taken possession of land, and shared it + among them, became their head-ruler and priest at home, speaker and + president of their Thing, and their representative in any dealings with + neighbouring chiefs and their clients. He was not a feudal lord, for any + franklin could change his "godord" as he liked, and the right of "judgment + by peers" was in full use. At first there was no higher organisation than + the local thing. A central thing, and a speaker to speak a single "law" + for the whole island, was instituted in 929, and afterwards the island was + divided in four quarters, each with a court, under the Al-thing. Society + was divided only into two classes of men, the free and unfree, though + political power was in the hands of the franklins alone; "godi" and thrall + ate the same food, spoke the same tongue, wore much the same clothes, and + were nearly alike in life and habits. Among the free men there was + equality in all but wealth and the social standing that cannot be + separated therefrom. The thrall was a serf rather than a slave, and could + own a house, etc., of his own. In a generation or so the freeman or + landless retainer, if he got a homestead of his own, was the peer of the + highest in the land. During the tenth century Greenland was colonised from + Iceland, and by end of the same century christianity was introduced into + Iceland, but made at first little difference in arrangements of society. + In the thirteenth century disputes over the power and jurisdiction of the + clergy led, with other matters, to civil war, ending in submission to + Norway, and the breaking down of all native great houses. Although life + under the commonwealth had been rough and irregular, it had been free and + varied, breeding heroes and men of mark; but the "law and order" now + brought in left all on a dead level of peasant proprietorship, without + room for hope or opening for ambition. An alien governor ruled the island, + which was divided under him into local counties, administered by sheriffs + appointed by the king of Norway. The Al-thing was replaced by a royal + court, the local work of the local things was taken by a subordinate of + the sheriff, and things, quarter-courts, trial by jury, and all the rest, + were swept away to make room for these "improvements", which have lasted + with few changes into this century. In 1380 the island passed under the + rule of Denmark, and so continues. (9) During the fifteenth century the + English trade was the only link between Iceland and the outer world; the + Danish government weakened that link as much as it could, and sought to + shut in and monopolise everything Icelandic; under the deadening effect of + such rule it is no marvel that everything found a lower level, and many + things went out of existence for lack of use. In the sixteenth century + there is little to record but the Reformation, which did little good, if + any, and the ravages of English, Gascon, and Algerine pirates who made + havoc on the coast; (10) they appear toward the close of the century and + disappear early in the seventeenth. In the eighteenth century small-pox, + sheep disease, famine, and the terrible eruptions of 1765 and 1783, follow + one another swiftly and with terrible effect. At the beginning of the + present century Iceland, however, began to shake off the stupor her + ill-hap had brought upon her, and as European attention had been drawn to + her, she was listened to. Newspapers, periodicals, and a Useful Knowledge + Society were started; then came free trade, and the "home-rule" struggle, + which met with partial success in 1874, and is still being carried on. A + colony, Gimli, in far-off Canada, has been formed of Icelandic emigrants, + and large numbers have left their mother-land; but there are many + co-operative societies organised now, which it is hoped will be able to so + revive the old resources of the island as to make provision for the old + population and ways of life. There is now again a representative central + council, but very many of the old rights and powers have not been yet + restored. The condition of society is peculiar absence of towns, social + equality, no abject poverty or great wealth, rarity of crime, making it + easy for the whole country to be administered as a co-operative + commonwealth without the great and striking changes rendered necessary by + more complicated systems. + </p> + <p> + Iceland has always borne a high name for learning and literature; on both + sides of their descent people inherited special poetic power. Some of + older Eddaic fragments attest the great reach and deep overpowering + strength of imagination possessed by their Norse ancestors; and they + themselves had been quickened by a new leaven. During the first + generations of the "land-taking" a great school of poetry which had arisen + among the Norsemen of the Western Isles was brought by them to Iceland. + (11) The poems then produced are quite beyond parallel with those of any + Teutonic language for centuries after their date, which lay between the + beginning of the ninth and the end of the tenth centuries. Through the + Greenland colony also came two, or perhaps more, great poems of this + western school. This school grew out of the stress and storm of the viking + life, with its wild adventure and varied commerce, and the close contact + with an artistic and inventive folk, possessed of high culture and great + learning. The infusion of Celtic blood, however slight it may have been, + had also something to do with the swift intense feeling and rapidity of + passion of the earlier Icelandic poets. They are hot-headed and + hot-hearted, warm, impulsive, quick to quarrel or to love, faithful, + brave; ready with sword or song to battle with all comers, or to seek + adventure wheresoever it might be found. They leave Iceland young, and + wander at their will to different courts of northern Europe, where they + are always held in high honour. Gunnlaug Worm-tongue (12) in 1004 came to + England, after being in Norway, as the saga says:—"Now sail Gunnlaug + and his fellows into the English main, and come at autumntide south to + London Bridge, where they hauled ashore their ship. Now, at that time King + Ethelred, the son of Edgar, ruled over England, and was a good lord; the + winter he sat in London. But in those days there was the same tongue in + England as in Norway and Denmark; but the tongues changed when William the + Bastard won England, for thenceforward French went current there, for he + was of French kin. Gunnlaug went presently to the king, and greeted him + well and worthily. The king asked him from what land he came, and Gunnlaug + told him all as it was. 'But,' said he, 'I have come to meet thee, lord, + for that I have made a song on thee, and I would that it might please thee + to hearken to that song.' The king said it should be so, and Gunnlaug gave + forth the song well and proudly, and this is the burden thereof— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "'As God are all folk fearing + The fire lord King of England, + Kin of all kings and all folk, + To Ethelred the head bow.' +</pre> + <p> + The king thanked him for the song, and gave him as song-reward a scarlet + cloak lined with the costliest of furs, and golden-broidered down to the + hem; and made him his man; and Gunnlaug was with him all the winter, and + was well accounted of. + </p> + <p> + The poems in this volume are part of the wonderful fragments which are all + that remain of ancient Scandinavian poetry. Every piece which survives has + been garnered by Vigfusson and Powell in the volumes of their "Corpus", + where those who seek may find. A long and illustrious line of poets kept + the old traditions, down even to within a couple centuries, but the + earlier great harvest of song was never again equalled. After christianity + had entered Iceland, and that, with other causes, had quieted men's lives, + although the poetry which stood to the folk in lieu of music did not die + away, it lost the exclusive hold it had upon men's minds. In a time not so + stirring, when emotion was not so fervent or so swift, when there was less + to quicken the blood, the story that had before found no fit expression + but in verse, could stretch its limbs, as it were, and be told in prose. + Something of Irish influence is again felt in this new departure and that + marvellous new growth, the saga, that came from it, but is little more + than an influence. Every people find some one means of expression which + more than all else suits their mood or their powers, and this the + Icelanders found in the saga. This was the life of a hero told in prose, + but in set form, after a regular fashion that unconsciously complied with + all epical requirements but that of verse—simple plot, events in + order of time, set phrases for even the shifting emotion or changeful + fortune of a fight or storm, and careful avoidance of digression, comment, + or putting forward by the narrator of ought but the theme he has in hand; + he himself is never seen. Something in the perfection of the saga is to be + traced to the long winter's evenings, when the whole household, gathered + together at their spinning, weaving, and so on, would listen to one of + their number who told anew some old story of adventure or achievement. In + very truth the saga is a prose epic, and marked by every quality an epic + should possess. Growing up while the deeds of dead heroes were fresh in + memory, most often recited before the sharers in such deeds, the saga, in + its pure form, never goes from what is truth to its teller. Where the + saga, as this one of the Volsungs is founded upon the debris of songs and + poems, even then very old, tales of mythological heroes, of men quite + removed from the personal knowledge of the narrator, yet the story is so + inwound with the tradition of his race, is so much a part of his + thought-life, that every actor in it has for him a real existence. At the + feast or gathering, or by the fireside, as men made nets and women spun, + these tales were told over; in their frequent repetition by men who + believed them, though incident or sequence underwent no change, they would + become closer knit, more coherent, and each an organic whole. Gradually + they would take a regular and accepted form, which would ease the strain + upon the reciter's memory and leave his mind free to adorn the story with + fair devices, that again gave help in the making it easier to remember, + and thus aided in its preservation. After a couple of generations had + rounded and polished the sagas by their telling and retelling, they were + written down for the most part between 1141 and 1220, and so much was + their form impressed upon the mind of the folk, that when learned and + literary works appeared, they were written in the same style; hence we + have histories alike of kingdoms, or families, or miracles, lives of + saints, kings, or bishops in saga-form, as well as subjects that seem at + first sight even less hopeful. All sagas that have yet appeared in English + may be found in the book-list at end of this volume, but they are not a + tithe of those that remain. + </p> + <p> + Of all the stories kept in being by the saga-tellers and left for our + delight, there is none that so epitomises human experience; has within the + same space so much of nature and of life; so fully the temper and genius + of the Northern folk, as that of the Volsungs and Niblungs, which has in + varied shapes entered into the literature of many lands. In the beginning + there is no doubt that the story belonged to the common ancestral folk of + all the Teutonic of Scando-Gothic peoples in the earliest days of their + wanderings. Whether they came from the Hindu Kush, or originated in + Northern Europe, brought it with them from Asia, or evolved it among the + mountains and rivers it has taken for scenery, none know nor can; but each + branch of their descendants has it in one form or another, and as the + Icelanders were the very crown and flower of the northern folk, so also + the story which is the peculiar heritage of that folk received in their + hands its highest expression and most noble form. The oldest shape in + which we have it is in the Eddaic poems, some of which date from + unnumbered generations before the time to which most of them are usually + ascribed, the time of the viking-kingdoms in the Western Isles. In these + poems the only historical name is that of Attila, the great Hun leader, + who filled so large a part of the imagination of the people whose power he + had broken. There is no doubt that, in the days when the kingdoms of the + Scando-Goths reached from the North Cape to the Caspian, that some earlier + great king performed his part; but, after the striking career of Attila, + he became the recognised type of a powerful foreign potentate. All the + other actors are mythic-heroic. Of the Eddaic songs only fragments now + remain, but ere they perished there arose from them a saga, that now given + to the readers of this. The so-called Anglo-Saxons brought part of the + story to England in "Beowulf"; in which also appear some incidents that + are again given in the Icelandic saga of "Grettir the Strong". Most widely + known is the form taken by the story in the hands of an unknown medieval + German poet, who, from the broken ballads then surviving wrote the + "Nibelungenlied" or more properly "Nibelungen Not" ("The Need of the + Niblungs"). In this the characters are all renamed, some being more or + less historical actors in mid-European history, as Theodoric of the + East-Goths, for instance. The whole of the earlier part of the story has + disappeared, and though Siegfried (Sigurd) has slain a dragon, there is + nothing to connect it with the fate that follows the treasure; Andvari, + the Volsungs, Fafnir, and Regin are all forgotten; the mythological + features have become faint, and the general air of the whole is that of + medieval romance. The swoard Gram is replaced by Balmung, and the Helm of + Awing by the Tarn-cap—the former with no gain, the latter with great + loss. The curse of Andvari, which in the saga is grimly real, working + itself out with slow, sure steps that no power of god or man can turn + aside, in the medieval poem is but a mere scenic effect, a strain of + mystery and magic, that runs through the changes of the story with much + added picturesqueness, but that has no obvious relation to the working-out + of the plot, or fulfilment of their destiny by the different characters. + Brynhild loses a great deal, and is a poor creature when compared with + herself in the saga; Grimhild and her fateful drink have gone; Gudrun + (Chriemhild) is much more complex, but not more tragic; one new character, + Rudiger, appears as the type of chivalry; but Sigurd (Siegfred) the + central figure, though he has lost by the omission of so much of his life, + is, as before, the embodiment of all the virtues that were dear to + northern hearts. Brave, strong, generous, dignified, and utterly truthful, + he moves amid a tangle of tragic events, overmastered by a mighty fate, + and in life or death is still a hero without stain or flaw. It is no + wonder that he survives to this day in the national songs of the Faroe + Islands and in the folk-ballads of Denmark; that his legend should have + been mingled with northern history through Ragnar Lodbrog, or southern + through Attila and Theodoric; that it should have inspired William Morris + in producing the one great English epic of the century; (13) and Richard + Wagner in the mightiest among his music-dramas. Of the story as told in + the saga there is no need here to speak, for to read it, as may be done a + few pages farther on, is that not better than to read about it? But it may + be urged upon those that are pleased and moved by the passion and power, + the strength and deep truth of it, to find out more than they now know of + the folk among whom it grew, and the land in which they dwelt. In so doing + they will come to see how needful are a few lessons from the healthy life + and speech of those days, to be applied in the bettering of our own. + </p> + <p> + H. HALLIDAY SPARLING. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Viking (Ice. "Vikingr"; "vik", a bay or creek, "ingr", + belonging to, (or men of) freebooters. + (2) "West over the Sea" is the word for the British Isles. + (3) See Todd (J. H.). "War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill". + (4) He was son of Ingiald, son of Thora, daughter of Sigurd + Snake-I'-th'-eye, son of Ragnar Lodbrok by Aslaug, daughter + of Sigurd by Brynhild. The genealogy is, doubtless, quite + mythical. + (5) A Collection of Sagas and other Historical Documents + relating to the Settlements and Descents of the Northmen on + the British Isles. Ed., G. W. Dasent, D.C.L, and Gudbrand + Vigfusson, M.A. "In the Press. Longmans, London. 8vo. + (6) "Orkneyinga Saga". + (7) Landtaking-book—"landnam", landtaking, from "at nema + land", hence also the early settlers were called + "landnamsmenn". + (8) To all interested in the subject of comparative mythology, + Andrew Lang's two admirable books, "Custom and Myth" (1884, + 8vo) and "Myth, Ritual, and Religion" (2 vols., crown 8vo, + 1887), both published by Longmans, London, may be warmly + recommended. + (9) Iceland was granted full independence from Denmark in 1944. + —DBK. + (10) These pirates are always appearing about the same time in + English State papers as plundering along the coasts of the + British Isles, especially Ireland. + (11) For all the old Scandinavian poetry extant in Icelandic, see + "Corpus Poeticum Borealis" of Vigfusson and Powell. + (12) Snake-tongue—so called from his biting satire. + (13) "Sigurd the Volsung", which seems to have become all but + forgotten in this century.—DBK. +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. + </h2> + <p> + In offering to the reader this translation of the most complete and + dramatic form of the great Epic of the North, we lay no claim to special + critical insight, nor do we care to deal at all with vexed questions, but + are content to abide by existing authorities, doing our utmost to make our + rendering close and accurate, and, if it might be so, at the same time, + not over prosaic: it is to the lover of poetry and nature, rather than to + the student, that we appeal to enjoy and wonder at this great work, now + for the first time, strange to say, translated into English: this must be + our excuse for speaking here, as briefly as may be, of things that will + seem to the student over well known to be worth mentioning, but which may + give some ease to the general reader who comes across our book. + </p> + <p> + The prose of the "Volsunga Saga" was composed probably some time in the + twelfth century, from floating traditions no doubt; from songs which, now + lost, were then known, at least in fragments, to the Sagaman; and finally + from songs, which, written down about his time, are still existing: the + greater part of these last the reader will find in this book, some + inserted amongst the prose text by the original story-teller, and some by + the present translators, and the remainder in the latter part of the book, + put together as nearly as may be in the order of the story, and forming a + metrical version of the greater portion of it. + </p> + <p> + These Songs from the Elder Edda we will now briefly compare with the prose + of the Volsung Story, premising that these are the only metrical sources + existing of those from which the Sagaman told his tale. + </p> + <p> + Except for the short snatch on p. 24 (1) of our translation, nothing is + now left of these till we come to the episode of Helgi Hundings-bane, + Sigurd's half-brother; there are two songs left relating to this, from + which the prose is put together; to a certain extent they cover the same + ground; but the latter half of the second is, wisely as we think, left + untouched by the Sagaman, as its interest is of itself too great not to + encumber the progress of the main story; for the sake of its wonderful + beauty, however, we could not refrain from rendering it, and it will be + found first among the metrical translations that form the second part of + this book. + </p> + <p> + Of the next part of the Saga, the deaths of Sinfjotli and Sigmund, and the + journey of Queen Hjordis to the court of King Alf, there is no trace left + of any metrical origin; but we meet the Edda once more where Regin tells + the tale of his kin to Sigurd, and where Sigurd defeats and slays the sons + of Hunding: this lay is known as the "Lay of Regin". + </p> + <p> + The short chap. xvi. is abbreviated from a long poem called the "Prophecy + of Gripir" (the Grifir of the Saga), where the whole story to come is told + with some detail, and which certainly, if drawn out at length into the + prose, would have forestalled the interest of the tale. + </p> + <p> + In the slaying of the Dragon the Saga adheres very closely to the "Lay of + Fafnir"; for the insertion of the song of the birds to Sigurd the present + translators are responsible. + </p> + <p> + Then comes the waking of Brynhild, and her wise redes to Sigurd, taken + from the Lay of Sigrdrifa, the greater part of which, in its metrical + form, is inserted by the Sagaman into his prose; but the stanza relating + Brynhild's awaking we have inserted into the text; the latter part, + omitted in the prose, we have translated for the second part of our book. + </p> + <p> + Of Sigurd at Hlymdale, of Gudrun's dream, the magic potion of Grimhild, + the wedding of Sigurd consequent on that potion; of the wooing of Brynhild + for Gunnar, her marriage to him, of the quarrel of the Queens, the + brooding grief and wrath of Brynhild, and the interview of Sigurd with her—of + all this, the most dramatic and best-considered parts of the tale, there + is now no more left that retains its metrical form than the few snatches + preserved by the Sagaman, though many of the incidents are alluded to in + other poems. + </p> + <p> + Chap. xxx. is met by the poem called the "Short Lay of Sigurd", which, + fragmentary apparently at the beginning, gives us something of Brynhild's + awakening wrath and jealousy, the slaying of Sigurd, and the death of + Brynhild herself; this poem we have translated entire. + </p> + <p> + The Fragments of the "Lay of Brynhild" are what is left of a poem partly + covering the same ground as this last, but giving a different account of + Sigurd's slaying; it is very incomplete, though the Sagaman has drawn some + incidents from it; the reader will find it translated in our second part. + </p> + <p> + But before the death of the heroine we have inserted entire into the text + as chap. xxxi. the "First Lay of Gudrun", the most lyrical, the most + complete, and the most beautiful of all the Eddaic poems; a poem that any + age or language might count among its most precious possessions. + </p> + <p> + From this point to the end of the Saga it keeps closely to the Songs of + Edda; in chap. xxxii. the Sagaman has rendered into prose the "Ancient Lay + of Gudrun", except for the beginning, which gives again another account of + the death of Sigurd: this lay also we have translated. + </p> + <p> + The grand poem, called the "Hell-ride of Brynhild", is not represented + directly by anything in the prose except that the Sagaman has supplied + from it a link or two wanting in the "Lay of Sigrdrifa"; it will be found + translated in our second part. + </p> + <p> + The betrayal and slaughter of the Giukings or Niblungs, and the fearful + end of Atli and his sons, and court, are recounted in two lays, called the + "Lays of Atli"; the longest of these, the "Greenland Lay of Atli", is + followed closely by the Sagaman; the Shorter one we have translated. + </p> + <p> + The end of Gudrun, of her daughter by Sigurd and of her sons by her last + husband Jonakr, treated of in the last four chapters of the Saga, are very + grandly and poetically given in the songs called the "Whetting of Gudrun", + and the "Lay of Hamdir", which are also among our translations. + </p> + <p> + These are all the songs of the Edda which the Sagaman has dealt with; but + one other, the "Lament of Oddrun", we have translated on account of its + intrinsic merit. + </p> + <p> + As to the literary quality of this work we in say much, but we think we + may well trust the reader of poetic insight to break through whatever + entanglement of strange manners or unused element may at first trouble + him, and to meet the nature and beauty with which it is filled: we cannot + doubt that such a reader will be intensely touched by finding, amidst all + its wildness and remoteness, such a startling realism, such subtilty, such + close sympathy with all the passions that may move himself to-day. + </p> + <p> + In conclusion, we must again say how strange it seems to us, that this + Volsung Tale, which is in fact an unversified poem, should never before + been translated into English. For this is the Great Story of the North, + which should be to all our race what the Tale of Troy was to the Greeks—to + all our race first, and afterwards, when the change of the world has made + our race nothing more than a name of what has been—a story too—then + should it be to those that come after us no less than the Tale of Troy has + been to us. + </p> + <p> + WILLIAM MORRIS and EIRIKR MAGNUSSON. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Chapter viii.—DBK. +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0003" id="link2H_4_0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h1> + THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS. + </h1> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER I. Of Sigi, the Son of Odin. + </h2> + <p> + Here begins the tale, and tells of a man who was named Sigi, and called of + men the son of Odin; another man withal is told of in the tale, hight + Skadi, a great man and mighty of his hands; yet was Sigi the mightier and + the higher of kin, according to the speech of men of that time. Now Skadi + had a thrall with whom the story must deal somewhat, Bredi by name, who + was called after that work which he had to do; in prowess and might of + hand he was equal to men who were held more worthy, yea, and better than + some thereof. + </p> + <p> + Now it is to be told that, on a time, Sigi fared to the hunting of the + deer, and the thrall with him; and they hunted deer day-long till the + evening; and when they gathered together their prey in the evening, lo, + greater and more by far was that which Bredi had slain than Sigi's prey; + and this thing he much misliked, and he said that great wonder it was that + a very thrall should out-do him in the hunting of deer: so he fell on him + and slew him, and buried the body of him thereafter in a snow-drift. + </p> + <p> + Then he went home at evening tide and says that Bredi had ridden away from + him into the wild-wood. "Soon was he out of my sight," he says, "and + naught more I wot of him." + </p> + <p> + Skadi misdoubted the tale of Sigi, and deemed that this was a guile of + his, and that he would have slain Bredi. So he sent men to seek for him, + and to such an end came their seeking, that they found him in a certain + snow-drift; then said Skadi, that men should call that snow-drift Bredi's + Drift from henceforth; and thereafter have folk followed, so that in such + wise they call every drift that is right great. + </p> + <p> + Thus it is well seen that Sigi has slain the thrall and murdered him; so + he is given forth to be a wolf in holy places, (1) and may no more abide + in the land with his father; therewith Odin bare him fellowship from the + land, so long a way, that right long it was, and made no stay till he + brought him to certain war-ships. So Sigi falls to lying out a-warring + with the strength that his father gave him or ever they parted; and happy + was he in his warring, and ever prevailed, till he brought it about that + he won by his wars land and lordship at the last; and thereupon he took to + him a noble wife, and became a great and mighty king, and ruled over the + land of the Huns, and was the greatest of warriors. He had a son by his + wife, who was called Refir, who grew up in his father's house, and soon + became great of growth, and shapely. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Wolf in holy places," a man put out of the pale of society + for crimes, an outlaw. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II. Of the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son of + Sigi. + </h2> + <p> + Now Sigi grew old, and had many to envy him, so that at last those turned + against him whom he trusted most; yea, even the brothers of his wife; for + these fell on him at his unwariest, when there were few with him to + withstand them, and brought so many against him, that they prevailed + against him, and there fell Sigi and all his folk with him. But Rerir, his + son, was not in this trouble, and he brought together so mighty a strength + of his friends and the great men of the land, that he got to himself both + the lands and kingdom of Sigi his father; and so now, when he deems that + the feet under him stand firm in his rule, then he calls to mind that + which he had against his mother's brothers, who had slain his father. So + the king gathers together a mighty army, and therewith falls on his + kinsmen, deeming that if he made their kinship of small account, yet none + the less they had first wrought evil against him. So he wrought his will + herein, in that he departed not from strife before he had slain all his + father's banesmen, though dreadful the deed seemed in every wise. So now + he gets land, lordship, and fee, and is become a mightier man than his + father before him. + </p> + <p> + Much wealth won in war gat Rerir to himself, and wedded a wife withal, + such as he deemed meet for him, and long they lived together, but had no + child to take the heritage after them; and ill-content they both were with + that, and prayed the Gods with heart and soul that they might get them a + child. And so it is said that Odin hears their prayer, and Freyia no less + hearkens wherewith they prayed unto her: so she, never lacking for all + good counsel, calls to her her casket-bearing may, (1) the daughter of + Hrimnir the giant, and sets an apple in her hand, and bids her bring it to + the king. She took the apple, and did on her the gear of a crow, and went + flying till she came whereas the king sat on a mound, and there she let + the apple fall into the lap of the king; but he took the apple, and deemed + he knew whereto it would avail; so he goes home from the mound to his own + folk, and came to the queen, and some deal of that apple she ate. + </p> + <p> + So, as the tale tells, the queen soon knew that she big with child, but a + long time wore or ever she might give birth to the child: so it befell + that the king must needs go to the wars, after the custom of kings, that + he may keep his own land in peace: and in this journey it came to pass + that Rerir fell sick and got his death, being minded to go home to Odin, a + thing much desired of many folk in those days. + </p> + <p> + Now no otherwise it goes with the queen's sickness than heretofore, nor + may she be the lighter of her child, and six winters wore away with the + sickness still heavy on her; so that at the last she feels that she may + not live long; wherefore now she bade cut the child from out of her; and + it was done even as she bade; a man-child was it, and great of growth from + his birth, as might well be; and they say that the youngling kissed his + mother or ever she died; but to him is a name given, and he is called + Volsung; and he was king over Hunland in the room of his father. From his + early years he was big and strong, and full of daring in all manly deeds + and trials, and he became the greatest of warriors, and of good hap in all + the battles of his warfaring. + </p> + <p> + Now when he was fully come to man's estate, Hrimnir the giant sends to him + Ljod his daughter; she of whom the tale told, that she brought the apple + to Rerir, Volsung's father. So Volsung weds her withal; and long they + abode together with good hap and great love. They had ten sons and one + daughter, and their eldest son was hight Sigmund, and their daughter + Signy; and these two were twins, and in all wise the foremost and the + fairest of the children of Volsung the king, and mighty, as all his seed + was; even as has been long told from ancient days, and in tales of long + ago, with the greatest fame of all men, how that the Volsungs have been + great men and high-minded and far above the most of men both in cunning + and in prowess and all things high and mighty. + </p> + <p> + So says the story that king Volsung let build a noble hall in such a wise, + that a big oak-tree stood therein, and that the limbs of the tree + blossomed fair out over the roof of the hall, while below stood the trunk + within it, and the said trunk did men call Branstock. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) May (A.S. "maeg"), a maid. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III. Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the + Branstock. + </h2> + <p> + There was a king called Siggeir, who ruled over Gothland, a mighty king + and of many folk; he went to meet Volsung, the king, and prayed him for + Signy his daughter to wife; and the king took his talk well, and his sons + withal, but she was loth thereto, yet she bade her father rule in this as + in all other things that concerned her; so the king took such rede (1) + that he gave her to him, and she was betrothed to King Siggeir; and for + the fulfilling of the feast and the wedding, was King Siggeir to come to + the house of King Volsung. The king got ready the feast according to his + best might, and when all things were ready, came the king's guests and + King Siggeir withal at the day appointed, and many a man of great account + had Siggeir with him. + </p> + <p> + The tale tells that great fires were made endlong the hall, and the great + tree aforesaid stood midmost thereof; withal folk say that, whenas men sat + by the fires in the evening, a certain man came into the hall unknown of + aspect to all men; and suchlike array he had, that over him was a spotted + cloak, and he was bare-foot, and had linen-breeches knit tight even unto + the bone, and he had a sword in his hand as he went up to the Branstock, + and a slouched hat upon his head: huge he was, and seeming-ancient, and + one-eyed. (2) So he drew his sword and smote it into the tree-trunk so + that it sank in up to the hilts; and all held back from greeting the man. + Then he took up the word, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Whoso draweth this sword from this stock, shall have the same as a gift + from me, and shall find in good sooth that never bare he better sword in + hand than is this." + </p> + <p> + Therewith out went the old man from the hall, and none knew who he was or + whither he went. + </p> + <p> + Now men stand up, and none would fain be the last to lay hand to the + sword, for they deemed that he would have the best of it who might first + touch it; so all the noblest went thereto first, and then the others, one + after other; but none who came thereto might avail to pull it out, for in + nowise would it come away howsoever they tugged at it; but now up comes + Sigmund, King Volsung's son, and sets hand to the sword, and pulls it from + the stock, even as if it lay loose before him; so good that weapon seemed + to all, that none thought he had seen such a sword before, and Siggeir + would fain buy it of him at thrice its weight of gold, but Sigmund said— + </p> + <p> + "Thou mightest have taken the sword no less than I from there whereas it + stood, if it had been thy lot to bear it; but now, since it has first of + all fallen into my hand, never shalt thou have it, though thou biddest + therefor all the gold thou hast." + </p> + <p> + King Siggeir grew wroth at these words, and deemed Sigmund had answered + him scornfully, but whereas was a wary man and a double-dealing, he made + as if he heeded this matter in nowise, yet that same evening he thought + how he might reward it, as was well seen afterwards. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Rede (A.S. raed), counsel, advice, a tale or prophecy. + (2) The man is Odin, who is always so represented, because he + gave his eye as a pledge for a draught from the fountain of + Mimir, the source of all wisdom. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV. How King Siggeir wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his + son to Gothland. + </h2> + <p> + Now it is to be told that Siggeir goes to bed by Signy that night, and the + next morning the weather was fair; then says King Siggeir that he will not + bide, lest the wind should wax, or the sea grow impassable; nor is it said + that Volsung or his sons letted him herein, and that the less, because + they saw that he was fain to get him gone from the feast. But now says + Signy to her father— + </p> + <p> + "I have no will to go away with Seggeir; neither does my heart smile upon + him, and I wot; by my fore-knowledge, and from the fetch (1) of our kin, + that from this counsel will great evil fall on us if this wedding be not + speedily undone." + </p> + <p> + "Speak in no such wise, daughter!" said he, "for great shame will it be to + him, yea, and to us also, to break troth with him, he being sackless; (2) + and in naught may we trust him, and no friendship shall we have of him, if + these matters are broken off; but he will pay us back in as evil wise as + he may; for that alone is seemly, to hold truly to troth given." + </p> + <p> + So King Siggeir got ready for home, and before he went from the feast he + bade King Volsung, his father-in-law, come see him in Gothland, and all + his sons with him, whenas three months should be overpast, and to bring + such following with him, as he would have; and as he deemed meet for his + honour; and thereby will Siggeir the king pay back for the shortcomings of + the wedding-feast, in that he would abide thereat but one night only, a + thing not according to the wont of men. So King Volsung gave word to come + on the day named, and the kinsmen-in-law parted, and Siggeir went home + with his wife. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Fetch; wraith, or familiar spirit. + (2) Sackless (A.S. "sacu", Icel. "sok".) blameless. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V. Of the Slaying of King Volsung. + </h2> + <p> + Now tells the tale of King Volsung and his sons that they go at the time + appointed to Gothland at the bidding of King Siggeir, and put off from the + land in three ships, all well manned, and have a fair voyage, and made + Gothland late of an evening tide. + </p> + <p> + But that same night came Signy and called her father and brothers to a + privy talk, and told them what she deemed King Siggeir was minded to do, + and how that he had drawn together an army no man may meet. "And," says + she, "he is minded to do guilefully by you; wherefore I bid you get ye + gone back again to your own land, and gather together the mightiest power + ye may, and then come back hither and avenge you; neither go ye now to + your undoing, for ye shall surely fail not to fall by his wiles if ye turn + not on him even as I bid you." + </p> + <p> + Then spake Volsung the king, "All people and nations shall tell of the + word I spake, yet being unborn, wherein I vowed a vow that I would flee in + fear from neither fire nor the sword; even so have I done hitherto, and + shall I depart therefrom now I am old? Yea withal never shall the maidens + mock these my sons at the games, and cry out at them that they fear death; + once alone must all men need die, and from that season shall none escape; + so my rede is that we flee nowhither, but do the work of our hands in as + manly wise as we may; a hundred fights have I fought, and whiles I had + more, and whiles I had less, and yet ever had I the victory, nor shall it + ever be heard tell of me that I fled away or prayed for peace." + </p> + <p> + Then Signy wept right sore, and prayed that she might not go back to King + Siggeir, but King Volsung answered— + </p> + <p> + "Thou shalt surely go back to thine husband, and abide with him, howsoever + it fares with us." + </p> + <p> + So Signy went home, and they abode there that night; but in the morning, + as soon as it was day, Volsung bade his men arise and go aland and make + them ready for battle; so they went aland, all of them all-armed, and had + not long to wait before Siggeir fell on them with all his army, and the + fiercest fight there was betwixt them; and Siggeir cried on his men to the + onset all he might; and so the tale tells that King Volsung and his sons + went eight times right through Siggeir's folk that day, smiting and hewing + on either hand, but when they would do so even once again, King Volsung + fell amidst his folk and all his men withal, saving his ten sons, for + mightier was the power against them than they might withstand. + </p> + <p> + But now are all his sons taken, and laid in bonds and led away; and Signy + was ware withal that her father was slain, and her brothers taken and + doomed to death; that she called King Siggeir apart to talk with her, and + said— + </p> + <p> + "This will I pray of thee, that thou let not slay my brothers hastily, but + let them be set awhile in the stocks, for home to me comes the saw that + says, "Sweet to eye while seen": but longer life I pray not for them, + because I wot well that my prayer will not avail me." + </p> + <p> + Then answered Siggeir: + </p> + <p> + "Surely thou art mad and witless, praying thus for more bale for thy + brothers than their present slaying; yet this will I grant thee, for the + better it likes me the more they must bear, and the longer their pain is + or ever death come to them." + </p> + <p> + Now he let it be done even as she prayed, and a mighty beam was brought + and set on the feet of those ten brethren in a certain place of the + wild-wood, and there they sit day-long until night; but at midnight, as + they sat in the stocks, there came on them a she-wolf from out the wood; + old she was, and both great and evil of aspect; and the first thing she + did was to bite one of those brethren till he died, and then she ate him + up withal, and went on her way. + </p> + <p> + But the next morning Signy sent a man to the brethren, even one whom she + most trusted, to wot of the tidings; and when he came back he told her + that one of them was dead, and great and grievous she deemed it, if they + should all fare in like wise, and yet naught might she avail them. + </p> + <p> + Soon is the tale told thereof: nine nights together came the she-wolf at + midnight, and each night slew and ate up one of the brethren, until all + were dead, save Sigmund only; so now, before the tenth night came, Signy + sent that trusty man to Sigmund, her brother, and gave honey into his + hand, bidding him do it over Sigmund's face, and set a little deal of it + in his mouth; so he went to Sigmund and did as he was bidden, and then + came home again; and so the next night came the she-wolf according to her + wont, and would slay him and eat him even as his brothers; but now she + sniffs the breeze from him, whereas he was anointed with the honey, and + licks his face all over with her tongue, and then thrusts her tongue into + the mouth of him. No fear he had thereof, but caught the she-wolf's tongue + betwixt his teeth, and so hard she started back thereat, and pulled + herself away so mightily, setting her feet against the stocks, that all + was riven asunder; but he ever held so fast that the tongue came away by + the roots, and thereof she had her bane. + </p> + <p> + But some men say that this same she-wolf was the mother of King Siggeir, + who had turned herself into this likeness by troll's lore and witchcraft. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VI. Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to Sigmund. + </h2> + <p> + Now whenas Sigmund is loosed and the stocks are broken, he dwells in the + woods and holds himself there; but Signy sends yet again to wot of the + tidings, whether Sigmund were alive or no; but when those who were sent + came to him, he told them all as it had betid, and how things had gone + betwixt him and the wolf; so they went home and tell Signy the tidings; + but she goes and finds her brother, and they take counsel in such wise as + to make a house underground in the wild-wood; and so things go on a while, + Signy hiding him there, and sending him such things as he needed; but King + Siggeir deemed that all the Volsungs were dead. + </p> + <p> + Now Siggeir had two sons by his wife, whereof it is told that when the + eldest was ten winters old, Signy sends him to Sigmund, so that he might + give him help, if he would in any wise strive to avenge his father; so the + youngling goes to the wood, and comes late in evening-tide to Sigmund's + earth-house; and Sigmund welcomed him in seemly fashion, and said that he + should make ready their bread; "But I," said he, "will go seek firewood." + </p> + <p> + Therewith he gives the meal-bag into his hands while he himself went to + fetch firing; but when he came back the youngling had done naught at the + bread-making. Then asks Sigmund if the bread be ready— + </p> + <p> + Says the youngling, "I durst not set hand to the meal sack, because + somewhat quick lay in the meal." + </p> + <p> + Now Sigmund deemed he wotted that the lad was of no such heart as that he + would be fain to have him for his fellow; and when he met his sister, + Sigmund said that he had come no nigher to the aid of a man though the + youngling were with him. + </p> + <p> + Then said Signy, "Take him and kill him then; for why should such an one + live longer?" and even so he did. + </p> + <p> + So this winter wears, and the next winter Signy sent her next son to + Sigmund; and there is no need to make a long tale thereof, for in like + wise went all things, and he slew the child by the counsel of Signy. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VII. Of the Birth of Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund. + </h2> + <p> + So on a tide it befell as Signy sat in her bower, that there came to her a + witch-wife exceeding cunning, and Signy talked with her in such wise, + "Fain am I," says she, "that we should change semblances together." + </p> + <p> + She says, "Even as thou wilt then." + </p> + <p> + And so by her wiles she brought it about that they changed semblances, and + now the witch-wife sits in Signy's place according to her rede, and goes + to bed by the king that night, and he knows not that he has other than + Signy beside him. + </p> + <p> + But the tale tells of Signy, that she fared to the earth-house of her + brother, and prayed him give her harbouring for the night; "For I have + gone astray abroad in the woods, and know not whither I am going." + </p> + <p> + So he said she might abide, and that he would not refuse harbour to one + lone woman, deeming that she would scarce pay back his good cheer by + tale-bearing: so she came into the house, and they sat down to meat, and + his eyes were often on her, and a goodly and fair woman she seemed to him; + but when they are full, then he says to her, that he is right fain that + they should have but one bed that night; she nowise turned away therefrom, + and so for three nights together he laid her in bed by him. + </p> + <p> + Thereafter she fared home, and found the witch-wife and bade her change + semblances again, and she did so. + </p> + <p> + Now as time wears, Signy brings forth a man-child, who was named + Sinfjotli, and when he grew up he was both big and strong, and fair of + face, and much like unto the kin of the Volsungs, and he was hardly yet + ten winters old when she sent him to Sigmund's earth-house; but this trial + she had made of her other sons or ever she had sent them to Sigmund, that + she had sewed gloves on to their hands through flesh and skin, and they + had borne it ill and cried out thereat; and this she now did to Sinfjotli, + and he changed countenance in nowise thereat. Then she flayed off the + kirtle so that the skin came off with the sleeves, and said that this + would be torment enough for him; but he said— + </p> + <p> + "Full little would Volsung have felt such a smart this." + </p> + <p> + So the lad came to Sigmund, and Sigmund bade him knead their meal up, + while he goes to fetch firing; so he gave him the meal-sack, and then went + after the wood, and by then he came back had Sinfjotli made an end of his + baking. Then asked Sigmund if he had found nothing in the meal. + </p> + <p> + "I misdoubted me that there was something quick in the meal when I first + fell to kneading of it, but I have kneaded it all up together, both the + meal and that which was therein, whatsoever it was." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigmund laughed out, he said— + </p> + <p> + "Naught wilt thou eat of this bread to-night, for the most deadly of worms + (1) hast thou kneaded up therewith." + </p> + <p> + Now Sigmund was so mighty a man that he might eat venom and have no hurt + therefrom; but Sinfjotli might abide whatso venom came on the outside of + him, but might neither eat nor drink thereof. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Serpents. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VIII. The Death of King Siggeir and of Signy. + </h2> + <p> + The tale tells that Sigmund thought Sinfjotli over young to help him to + his revenge, and will first of all harden him with manly deeds; so in + summer-tide they fare wide through the woods and slay men for their + wealth; Sigmund deems him to take much after the kin of the Volsungs, + though he thinks that he is Siggeir's son, and deems him to have the evil + heart of his father, with the might and daring of the Volsungs; withal he + must needs think him in no wise a kinsome man, for full oft would he bring + Sigmund's wrongs to his memory, and prick him on to slay King Siggeir. + </p> + <p> + Now on a time as they fare abroad in the wood for the getting of wealth, + they find a certain house, and two men with great gold rings asleep + therein: now these twain were spell-bound skin-changers, (1) and + wolf-skins were hanging up over them in the house; and every tenth day + might they come out of those skins; and they were kings' sons: so Sigmund + and Sinfjofli do the wolf-skins on them, and then might they nowise come + out of them, though forsooth the same nature went with them as heretofore; + they howled as wolves howl, but both knew the meaning of that howling; + they lay out in the wild-wood, and each went his way; and a word they made + betwixt them, that they should risk the onset of seven men, but no more, + and that he who was first to be set on should howl in wolfish wise: "Let + us not depart from this," says Sigmund, "for thou art young and over-bold, + and men will deem the quarry good, when they take thee." + </p> + <p> + Now each goes his way, and when they were parted, Sigmund meets certain + men, and gives forth a wolf's howl; and when Sinfjotli heard it, he went + straightway thereto, and slew them all, and once more they parted. But ere + Sinfjotli has fared long through the woods, eleven men meet him, and he + wrought in such wise that he slew them all, and was awearied therewith, + and crawls under an oak, and there takes his rest. Then came Sigmund + thither, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Why didst thou not call on me?" + </p> + <p> + Sinfjotli said, "I was loth to call for thy help for the slaying of eleven + men." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigmund rushed at him so hard that he staggered and fell, and Sigmund + bit him in the throat. Now that day they might not come out of their + wolf-skins: but Sigmund lays the other on his back, and bears him home to + the house, and cursed the wolf-gears and gave them to the trolls. Now on a + day he saw where two weasels went, and how that one bit the other in the + throat, and then ran straightway into the thicket, and took up a leaf and + laid it on the wound, and thereon his fellow sprang up quite and clean + whole; so Sigmund went out and saw a raven flying with a blade of that + same herb to him; so he took it and drew it over Sinfjotli's hurt, and he + straightway sprang up as whole as though he had never been hurt. + Thereafter they went home to their earth-house, and abode there till the + time came for them to put off the wolf-shapes; then they burnt them up + with fire, and prayed that no more hurt might come to any one from them; + but in that uncouth guise they wrought many famous deeds in the kingdom + and lordship of King Siggeir. + </p> + <p> + Now when Sinfjotli was come to man's estate, Sigmund deemed he had tried + him fully, and or ever a long time has gone by he turns his mind to the + avenging of his father, if so it may be brought about; so on a certain day + the twain get them gone from their earth-house, and come to the abode of + King Siggeir late in the evening, and go into the porch before the hall, + wherein were tuns of ale, and there they lie hid: now the queen is ware of + them, where they are, and is fain to meet them; and when they met they + took counsel, and were of one mind that Volsung should be revenged that + same night. + </p> + <p> + Now Signy and the king had two children of tender age, who played with a + golden toy on the floor, and bowled it along the pavement of the hall, + running along with it; but therewith a golden ring from off it trundles + away into the place where Sigmund and Sinfjotli lay, and off runs the + little one to search for the same, and beholds withal where two men are + sitting, big and grimly to look on, with overhanging helms and bright + white byrnies; (2) so he runs up the hall to his father, and tells him of + the sight he has seen, and thereat the king misdoubts of some guile + abiding him; but Signy heard their speech, and arose and took both the + children, and went out into the porch to them and said— + </p> + <p> + "Lo ye! These younglings have bewrayed you; come now therefore and slay + them!" + </p> + <p> + Sigmund says, "Never will I slay thy children for telling of where I lay + hid." + </p> + <p> + But Sinfjotli made little enow of it, but drew his sword and slew them + both, and cast them into the hall at King Siggeir's feet. + </p> + <p> + Then up stood the king and cried on his men to take those who had lain + privily in the porch through the night. So they ran thither and would lay + hands on them, but they stood on their defence well and manly, and long he + remembered it who was the nighest to them; but in the end they were borne + down by many men and taken, and bonds were set upon them, and they were + cast into fetters wherein they sit night long. + </p> + <p> + Then the king ponders what longest and worst of deaths he shall mete out + to them; and when morning came he let make a great barrow of stones and + turf; and when it was done, let set a great flat stone midmost inside + thereof, so that one edge was aloft, the other alow; and so great it was + that it went from wall to wall, so that none might pass it. + </p> + <p> + Now he bids folk take Sigmund and Sinfjotli and set them in the barrow, on + either side of the stone, for the worse for them he deemed it, that they + might hear each the other's speech, and yet that neither might pass one to + the other. But now, while they were covering in the barrow with the + turf-slips, thither came Signy, bearing straw with her, and cast it down + to Sinfjotli, and bade the thralls hide this thing from the king; they + said yea thereto, and therewithal was the barrow closed in. + </p> + <p> + But when night fell, Sinfjotli said to Sigmund, "Belike we shall scarce + need meat for a while, for here has the queen cast swine's flesh into the + barrow, and wrapped it round about on the outer side with straw." + </p> + <p> + Therewith he handles the flesh and finds that therein was thrust Sigmund's + sword; and he knew it by the hilts, as mirk as it might be in the barrow, + and tells Sigmund thereof, and of that were they both fain enow. + </p> + <p> + Now Sinfjotli drave the point of the sword up into the big stone, and drew + it hard along, and the sword bit on the stone. With that Sigmund caught + the sword by the point, and in this wise they sawed the stone between + them, and let not or all the sawing was done that need be done, even as + the song sings: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Sinfjotli sawed + And Sigmund sawed, + Atwain with main + The stone was done." +</pre> + <p> + Now are they both together loose in the barrow, and soon they cut both + through stone and through iron, and bring themselves out thereof. Then + they go home to the hall, whenas all men slept there, and bear wood to the + hall, and lay fire therein; and withal the folk therein are waked by the + smoke, and by the hall burning over their heads. + </p> + <p> + Then the king cries out, "Who kindled this fire, I burn withal?" + </p> + <p> + "Here am I," says Sigmund, "with Sinfjotli, my sister's son; and we are + minded that thou shalt wot well that all the Volsungs are not yet dead." + </p> + <p> + Then he bade his sister come out, and take all good things at his hands, + and great honour, and fair atonement in that wise, for all her griefs. + </p> + <p> + But she answered, "Take heed now, and consider, if I have kept King + Siggeir in memory, and his slaying of Volsung the king! I let slay both my + children, whom I deemed worthless for the revenging of our father, and I + went into the wood to thee in a witch-wife's shape; and now behold, + Sinfjotli is the son of thee and of me both! and therefore has he this so + great hardihood and fierceness, in that he is the son both of Volsung's + son and Volsung's daughter; and for this, and for naught else, have I so + wrought, that Siggeir might get his bane at last; and all these things + have I done that vengeance might fall on him, and that I too might not + live long; and merrily now will I die with King Siggeir, though I was + naught merry to wed him." + </p> + <p> + Therewith she kissed Sigmund her brother, and Sinfjotli, and went back + again into the fire, and there she died with King Siggeir and all his good + men. + </p> + <p> + But the two kinsmen gathered together folk and ships, and Sigmund went + back to his father's land, and drave away thence the king, who had set + himself down there in the room of king Volsung. + </p> + <p> + So Sigmund became a mighty King and far-famed, wise and high-minded: he + had to wife one named Borghild, and two sons they had between them, one + named Helgi and the other Hamund; and when Helgi was born, Norns came to + him, (3) and spake over him, and said that he should be in time to come + the most renowned of all kings. Even therewith was Sigmund come home from + the wars, and so therewith he gives him the name of Helgi, and these + matters as tokens thereof, Land of Rings, Sun-litten Hill, and + Sharp-shearing Sword, and withal prayed that he might grow of great fame, + and like unto the kin of the Volsungs. + </p> + <p> + And so it was that he grew up high-minded, and well-beloved, and above all + other men in all prowess; and the story tells that he went to the wars + when he was fifteen winters old. Helgi was lord and ruler over the army, + but Sinfjotli was gotten to be his fellow herein; and so the twain bare + sway thereover. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Skin-changers" were universally believed in once, in + Iceland no less than elsewhere, as see Ari in several places + of his history, especially the episode of Dufthach and + Storwolf o' Whale. Men possessing the power of becoming + wolves at intervals, in the present case compelled so to + become, wer-wolves or "loupsgarou", find large place in + medieval story, but were equally well-known in classic + times. Belief in them still lingers in parts of Europe + where wolves are to be found. Herodotus tells of the Neuri, + who assumed once a year the shape of wolves; Pliny says that + one of the family of Antaeus, chosen by lot annually, became + a wolf, and so remained for nine years; Giraldus Cambrensis + will have it that Irishmen may become wolves; and Nennius + asserts point-blank that "the descendants of wolves are + still in Ossory;" they retransform themselves into wolves + when they bite. Apuleius, Petronius, and Lucian have + similar stories. The Emperor Sigismund convoked a council + of theologians in the fifteenth century who decided that + wer-wolves did exist. + (2) Byrny (A.S. "byrne"), corslet, cuirass. + (3) "Norns came to him." Nornir are the fates of the northern + mythology. They are three—"Urd", the past; "Verdandi", + the present; and "Skuld", the future. They sit beside the + fountain of Urd ("Urdarbrunur"), which is below one of the + roots of "Yggdrasil", the world-tree, which tree their + office it is to nourish by sprinkling it with the waters of + the fountain. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IX. How Helgi, the son of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his Realm, + and wedded Sigrun. + </h2> + <p> + Now the tale tells that Helgi in his warring met a king hight Hunding, a + mighty king, and lord of many men and many lands; they fell to battle + together, and Helgi went forth mightily, and such was the end of that + fight that Helgi had the victory, but King Hunding fell and many of his + men with him; but Helgi is deemed to have grown greatly in fame because he + had slain so mighty a king. + </p> + <p> + Then the sons of Hunding draw together a great army to avenge their + father. Hard was the fight betwixt them; but Helgi goes through the folk + of those brothers unto their banner, and there slays these sons of + Hunding, Alf and Eyolf, Herward and Hagbard, and wins there a great + victory. + </p> + <p> + Now as Helgi fared from the fight, he met a many women right fair and + worthy to look on, who rode in exceeding noble array; but one far excelled + them all; then Helgi asked them the name of that their lady and queen, and + she named herself Sigrun, and said she was daughter of King Hogni. + </p> + <p> + Then said Helgi, "Fare home with us: good welcome shall ye have!" + </p> + <p> + Then said the king's daughter, "Other work lies before us than to drink + with thee." + </p> + <p> + "Yea, and what work, king's daughter?" said Helgi. + </p> + <p> + She answers, "King Hogni has promised me to Hodbrod, the son of King + Granmar, but I have vowed a vow that I will have him to my husband no more + than if he were a crow's son and not a king's; and yet will the thing come + to pass, but and if thou standest in the way thereof, and goest against + him with an army, and takest me away withal; for verily with no king would + I rather bide on bolster than with thee." + </p> + <p> + "Be of good cheer, king's daughter," says he, "for certes he and I shall + try the matter, or ever thou be given to him; yea, we shall behold which + may prevail against the other; and hereto I pledge my life." + </p> + <p> + Thereafter, Helgi sent men with money in their hands to summon his folk to + him, and all his power is called together to Red-Berg: and there Helgi + abode till such time as a great company came to him from Hedinsey; and + therewithal came mighty power from Norvi Sound aboard great and fair + ships. Then King Helgi called to him the captain of his ships, who was + hight Leif, and asked him if he had told over the tale of his army. + </p> + <p> + "A thing not easy to tell, lord," says he, "on the ships that came out of + Norvi Sound are twelve thousand men, and otherwhere are half as many + again." + </p> + <p> + Then bade King Helgi turn into the firth, called Varin's firth, and they + did so: but now there fell on them so fierce a storm and so huge a sea, + that the beat of the waves on board and bow was to hearken to like as the + clashing together of high hills broken. + </p> + <p> + But Helgi bade men fear naught, nor take in any sail, but rather hoist + every rag higher than heretofore; but little did they miss of foundering + or ever they made land; then came Sigrun, daughter of King Hogni, down on + to the beach with a great army, and turned them away thence to a good + haven called Gnipalund; but the landsmen see what has befallen and come + down to the sea-shore. The brother of King Hodbrod, lord of a land called + Swarin's Cairn, cried out to them, and asked them who was captain over + that mighty army. Then up stands Sinfjotli, with a helm on his head, + bright shining as glass, and a byrny as white as snow; a spear in his + hand, and thereon a banner of renown, and a gold-rimmed shield hanging + before him; and well he knew with what words to speak to kings— + </p> + <p> + "Go thou and say, when thou hast made an end of feeding thy swine and thy + dogs, and when thou beholdest thy wife again, that here are come the + Volsungs, and in this company may King Helgi be found, if Hodbrod be fain + of finding him, for his game and his joy it is to fight and win fame, + while thou art kissing the handmaids by the fire-side." + </p> + <p> + Then answered Granmar, "In nowise knowest thou how to speak seemly things, + and to tell of matters remembered from of old, whereas thou layest lies on + chiefs and lords; most like it is that thou must have long been nourished + with wolf-meat abroad in the wild-woods, and has slain thy brethren; and a + marvel it is to behold that thou darest to join thyself to the company of + good men and true, thou, who hast sucked the blood of many a cold corpse." + </p> + <p> + Sinfjotli answered, "Dim belike is grown thy memory now, of how thou wert + a witch-wife on Varinsey, and wouldst fain have a man to thee, and chose + me to that same office of all the world; and how thereafter thou wert a + Valkyria (1) in Asgarth, and it well-nigh came to this, that for thy sweet + sake should all men fight; and nine wolf whelps I begat on thy body in + Lowness, and was the father to them all." + </p> + <p> + Granmar answers, "Great skill of lying hast thou; yet belike the father of + naught at all mayst thou be, since thou wert gelded by the giant's + daughters of Thrasness; and lo thou art the stepson of King Siggeir, and + were wont to lie abroad in wilds and woods with the kin of wolves; and + unlucky was the hand wherewith thou slewest thy brethren, making for + thyself an exceeding evil name." + </p> + <p> + Said Sinfjotli, "Mindest thou not then, when thou were stallion Grani's + mare, and how I rode thee an amble on Bravoll, and that afterwards thou + wert giant Golnir's goat-herd?" + </p> + <p> + Granmar says, "Rather would I feed fowls with the flesh of thee than + wrangle any longer with thee." + </p> + <p> + Then spake King Helgi, "Better were it for ye, and a more manly deed, to + fight, rather than to speak such things as it is a shame even to hearken + to; Granmar's sons are no friends of me and of mine, yet are they hardy + men none the less." + </p> + <p> + So Granmar rode away to meet King Hodbrod, at a stead called Sunfells, and + the horses of the twain were named Sveipud and Sveggjud. The brothers met + in the castle-porch, and Granmar told Hodbrod of the war-news. King + Hodbrod was clad in a byrny, and had his helm on his head; he asked— + </p> + <p> + "What men are anigh, why look ye so wrathful?" + </p> + <p> + Granmar says, "Here are come the Volsungs, and twelve thousand men of them + are afloat off the coast, and seven thousand are at the island called Sok, + but at the stead called Grindur is the greatest company of all, and now I + deem withal that Helgi and his fellowship have good will to give battle." + </p> + <p> + Then said the king, "Let us send a message through all our realm, and go + against them, neither let any who is fain of fight sit idle at home; let + us send word to the sons of Ring, and to King Hogni, and to Alf the Old, + for they are mighty warriors." + </p> + <p> + So the hosts met at Wolfstone, and fierce fight befell there; Helgi rushed + forth through the host of his foes, and many a man fell there; at last + folk saw a great company of shield-maidens, like burning flames to look + on, and there was come Sigrun, the king's daughter. Then King Helgi fell + on King Hodbrod, and smote him, and slew him even under his very banner; + and Sigrun cried out— + </p> + <p> + "Have thou thanks for thy so manly deed! now shall we share the land + between us, and a day of great good hap this is to me, and for this deed + shalt thou get honour and renown, in that thou hast felled to earth so + mighty a king." + </p> + <p> + So Helgi took to him that realm and dwelt there long, when he had wedded + Sigrun, and became a king of great honour and renown, though he has naught + more to do with this story. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Valkyrja, "Chooser of the elected." The women were so + called whom Odin sent to choose those for death in battle + who were to join the "Einherjar" in the hall of the elected, + "Val-holl." +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER X. The ending of Sinfjotli, Sigmund's Son. + </h2> + <p> + Now the Volsungs fare back home, and have gained great renown by these + deeds. But Sinfjotli betook himself to warfare anew; and therewith he had + sight of an exceeding fair woman, and yearned above all things for her; + but that same woman was wooed also of the brother of Borghild, the king's + wife: and this matter they fought out betwixt them, and Sinfjotli slew + that king; and thereafter he harried far and wide, and had many a battle + and even gained the day; and he became hereby honoured and renowned above + all men; but in autumn tide he came home with many ships and abundant + wealth. + </p> + <p> + Then he told his tidings to the king his father, and he again to the + queen, and she for her part bids him get him gone from the realm, and made + as if she would in nowise see him. But Sigmund said he would not drive him + away, and offered her atonement of gold and great wealth for her brother's + life, albeit he said he had never erst given weregild (1) to any for the + slaying of a man, but no fame it was to uphold wrong against a woman. + </p> + <p> + So seeing she might not get her own way herein, she said, "Have thy will + in this matter, O my lord, for it is seemly so to be." + </p> + <p> + And now she holds the funeral feast for her brother by the aid and counsel + of the king, and makes ready all things therefor or in the best of wise, + and bade thither many great men. + </p> + <p> + At that feast, Borghild the queen bare the drink to folk, and she came + over against Sinfjofli with a great horn, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Fall to now and drink, fair stepson!" + </p> + <p> + Then he took the horn to him, and looked therein, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Nay, for the drink is charmed drink" + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigmund, "Give it unto me then;" and therewith he took the horn + and drank it off. + </p> + <p> + But the queen said to Sinfjotli, "Why must other men needs drink thine ale + for thee?" And she came again the second time with the horn, and said, + "Come now and drink!" and goaded him with many words. + </p> + <p> + And he took the horn, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Guile is in the drink." + </p> + <p> + And thereon, Sigmund cried out— + </p> + <p> + "Give it then unto me!" + </p> + <p> + Again, the third time, she came to him, and bade him drink off his drink, + if he had the heart of a Volsung; then he laid hand on the horn, but said— + </p> + <p> + "Venom is therein." + </p> + <p> + "Nay, let the lip strain it out then, O son," quoth Sigmund; and by then + was he exceeding drunk with drink, and therefore spake he in that wise. + </p> + <p> + So Sinfjotli drank, and straightway fell down dead to the ground. + </p> + <p> + Sigmund rose up, and sorrowed nigh to death over him; then he took the + corpse in his arms and fared away to the wood, and went till he came to a + certain firth; and there he saw a man in a little boat; and that man asked + if he would be wafted by him over the firth, and he said yea thereto; but + so little was the boat, that they might not all go in it at once, so the + corpse was first laid therein, while Sigmund went by the firth-side. But + therewith the boat and the man therein vanished away from before Sigmund's + eyes. (2) + </p> + <p> + So thereafter Sigmund turned back home, and drave away the queen, and a + little after she died. But Sigmund the king yet ruled his realm, and is + deemed ever the greatest champion and king of the old law. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Weregild, fine for man-slaying ("wer", man, and "gild", a + payment). + (2) The man in the boat is Odin, doubtless. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XI. Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his + Sword again. + </h2> + <p> + There was a king called Eylimi, mighty and of great fame, and his daughter + was called Hjordis, the fairest and wisest of womankind; and Sigmund hears + it told of her that she was meet to be his wife, yea if none else were. So + he goes to the house of King Eylimi, who would make a great feast for him, + if so be he comes not thither in the guise of a foe. So messages were sent + from one to the other that this present journey was a peaceful one, and + not for war; so the feast was held in the best of wise and with many a man + thereat; fairs were in every place established for King Sigmund, and all + things else were done to the aid and comfort of his journey: so he came to + the feast, and both kings hold their state in one hall; thither also was + come King Lyngi, son of King Hunding, and he also is a-wooing the daughter + of King Eylimi. + </p> + <p> + Now the king deemed he knew that the twain had come thither but for one + errand, and thought withal that war and trouble might be looked for from + the hands of him who brought not his end about; so he spake to his + daughter, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Thou art a wise woman, and I have spoken it, that thou alone shalt choose + a husband for thyself; choose therefore between these two kings, and my + rede shall be even as thine." + </p> + <p> + "A hard and troublous matter," says she; "yet will I choose him who is of + greatest fame, King Sigmund to wife, albeit he is well stricken in years." + </p> + <p> + So to him was she betrothed, and King Lyngi gat him gone. Then was Sigmund + wedded to Hjordis, and now each day was the feast better and more glorious + than on the day before it. But thereafter Sigmund went back home to + Hunland, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, with him, and King Sigmund + betakes himself to the due ruling of his realm. + </p> + <p> + But King Lyngi and his brethren gather an army together to fall on + Sigmund, for as in all matters they were wont to have the worser lot, so + did this bite the sorest of all; and they would fain prevail over the + might and pride of the Volsungs. So they came to Hunland, and sent King + Sigmund word how that they would not steal upon him, and that they deemed + he would scarce slink away from them. So Sigmund said he would come and + meet them in battle, and drew his power together; but Hjordis was borne + into the wood with a certain bondmaid, and mighty wealth went with them; + and there she abode the while they fought. + </p> + <p> + Now the vikings rushed from their ships in numbers not to be borne up + against, but Sigmund the King, and Eylimi, set up their banners, and the + horns blew up to battle; but King Sigmund let blow the horn his father + erst had had, and cheered on his men to the fight, but his army was far + the fewest. + </p> + <p> + Now was that battle fierce and fell, and though Sigmund were old, yet most + hardily he fought, and was ever the foremost of his men; no shield or + byrny might hold against him, and he went ever through the ranks of his + foemen on that day, and no man might see how things would fare between + them; many an arrow and many a spear was aloft in air that day, and so his + spae-wrights wrought for him that he got no wound, and none can tell over + the tale of those who fell before him, and both his arms were red with + blood, even to the shoulders. + </p> + <p> + But now whenas the battle had dured a while, there came a man into the + fight clad in a blue cloak, and with a slouched hat on his head, one-eyed + he was, (1) and bare a bill in his hand; and he came against Sigmund the + King, and have up his bill against him, and as Sigmund smote fiercely with + the sword it fell upon the bill and burst asunder in the midst: + thenceforth the slaughter and dismay turned to his side, for the good-hap + of King Sigmund had departed from him, and his men fell fast about him; + naught did the king spare himself, but the rather cheered on his men; but + even as the saw says, "No might 'gainst many", so was it now proven; and + in this fight fell Sigmund the King, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, + in the fore-front of their battle, and therewith the more part of their + folk. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin coming to change the ownership of the sword he had + given Sigmund. See Chapter 3. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XII. Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King + Alf. + </h2> + <p> + Now King Lyngi made for the king's abode, and was minded to take the + king's daughter there, but failed herein, for there he found neither wife + nor wealth: so he fared through all the realm, and gave his men rule + thereover, and now deemed that he had slain all the kin of the Volsungs, + and that he need dread them no more from henceforth. + </p> + <p> + Now Hjordis went amidst the slain that night of the battle, and came + whereas lay King Sigmund, and asked if he might be healed; but he answered— + </p> + <p> + "Many a man lives after hope has grown little; but my good-hap has + departed from me, nor will I suffer myself to be healed, nor wills Odin + that I should ever draw sword again, since this my sword and his is + broken; lo now, I have waged war while it was his will." + </p> + <p> + "Naught ill would I deem matters," said she, "if thou mightest be healed + and avenge my father." + </p> + <p> + The king said, "That is fated for another man; behold now, thou art great + with a man-child; nourish him well and with good heed, and the child shall + be the noblest and most famed of all our kin: and keep well withal the + shards of the sword: thereof shall a goodly sword be made, and it shall be + called Gram, and our son shall bear it, and shall work many a great work + therewith, even such as eld shall never minish; for his name shall abide + and flourish as long as the world shall endure: and let this be enow for + thee. But now I grow weary with my wounds, and I will go see our kin that + have gone before me." + </p> + <p> + So Hjordis sat over him till he died at the day-dawning; and then she + looked, and behold, there came many ships sailing to the land: then she + spake to the handmaid— + </p> + <p> + "Let us now change raiment, and be thou called by my name, and say that + thou art the king's daughter." + </p> + <p> + And thus they did; but now the vikings behold the great slaughter of men + there, and see where two women fare away thence into the wood; and they + deem that some great tidings must have befallen, and they leaped ashore + from out their ships. Now the captain of these folks was Alf, son of + Hjalprek, king of Denmark, who was sailing with his power along the land. + So they came into the field among the slain, and saw how many men lay dead + there; then the king bade go seek for the women and bring them thither, + and they did so. He asked them what women they were; and, little as the + thing seems like to be, the bondmaid answered for the twain, telling of + the fall of King Sigmund and King Eylimi, and many another great man, and + who they were withal who had wrought the deed. Then the king asks if they + wotted where the wealth of the king was bestowed; and then says the + bondmaid— + </p> + <p> + "It may well be deemed that we know full surely thereof." + </p> + <p> + And therewith she guides them to the place where the treasure lay: and + there they found exceeding great wealth; so that men deem they have never + seen so many things of price heaped up together in one place. All this + they bore to the ships of King Alf, and Hjordis and the bondmaid went with + them. Therewith these sail away to their own realm, and talk how that + surely on that field had fallen the most renowned of kings. + </p> + <p> + So the king sits by the tiller, but the women abide in the forecastle; but + talk he had with the women and held their counsels of much account. + </p> + <p> + In such wise the king came home to his realm with great wealth, and he + himself was a man exceeding goodly to look on. But when he had been but a + little while at home, the queen, his mother, asked him why the fairest of + the two women had the fewer rings and the less worthy attire. + </p> + <p> + "I deem," she said, "that she whom ye have held of least account is the + noblest of the twain." + </p> + <p> + He answered: "I too have misdoubted me, that she is little like a + bondwoman, and when we first met, in seemly wise she greeted noble men. Lo + now, we will make a trial of the thing." + </p> + <p> + So on a time as men sat at the drink, the king sat down to talk with the + women, and said:— + </p> + <p> + "In what wise do ye note the wearing of the hours, whenas night grows old, + if ye may not see the lights of heaven?" + </p> + <p> + Then says the bondwoman, "This sign have I, that whenas in my youth I was + wont to drink much in the dawn, so now when I no longer use that manner, I + am yet wont to wake up at that very same tide, and by that token do I know + thereof." + </p> + <p> + Then the king laughed and said, "Ill manners for a king's daughter!" And + therewith he turned to Hjordis, and asked her even the same question; but + she answered— + </p> + <p> + "My father erst gave me a little gold ring of such nature, that it groweth + cold on my finger in the day-dawning; and that is the sign that I have to + know thereof." + </p> + <p> + The king answered: "Enow of gold there, where a very bondmaid bore it! But + come now, thou hast been long enow hid from me; yet if thou hadst told me + all from the beginning, I would have done to thee as though we had both + been one king's children: but better than thy deeds will I deal with thee, + for thou shalt be my wife, and due jointure will I pay thee whenas thou + hast borne me a child." + </p> + <p> + She spake therewith and told out the whole truth about herself: so there + was she held in great honour, and deemed the worthiest of women. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIII. Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + </h2> + <p> + The tale tells that Hjordis brought forth a man-child, who was straightly + borne before King Hjalprek, and then was the king glad thereof, when he + saw the keen eyes in the head of him, and he said that few men would be + equal to him or like unto him in any wise. So he was sprinkled with water, + and had to name Sigurd, of whom all men speak with one speech and say that + none was ever his like for growth and goodliness. He was brought up in the + house of King Hjalprek in great love and honour; and so it is, that whenso + all the noblest men and greatest kings are named in the olden tales, + Sigurd is ever put before them all, for might and prowess, for high mind + and stout heart, wherewith he was far more abundantly gifted than any man + of the northern parts of the wide world. + </p> + <p> + So Sigurd waxed in King Hjalprek's house, and there was no child but loved + him; through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and jointure meted to + her. + </p> + <p> + Now Sigurd's foster-father was hight Regin, the son of Hreidmar; he taught + him all manner of arts, the chess play, and the lore of runes, and the + talking of many tongues, even as the wont was with kings' sons in those + days. But on a day when they were together, Regin asked Sigurd, if he knew + how much wealth his father had owned, and who had the ward thereof; Sigurd + answered, and said that the kings kept the ward thereof. + </p> + <p> + Said Regin, "Dost thou trust them all utterly?" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "It is seemly that they keep it till I may do somewhat + therewith, for better they wot how to guard it than I do." + </p> + <p> + Another time came Regin to talk to Sigurd, and said— + </p> + <p> + "A marvellous thing truly that thou must needs be a horse-boy to the + kings, and go about like a running knave." + </p> + <p> + "Nay," said Sigurd, "it is not so, for in all things I have my will, and + whatso thing I desire is granted me with good will." + </p> + <p> + "Well, then," said Regin, "ask for a horse of them." + </p> + <p> + "Yea," quoth Sigurd, "and that shall I have, whenso I have need thereof." + </p> + <p> + Thereafter Sigurd went to the king, and the king said— + </p> + <p> + "What wilt thou have of us?" + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "I would even a horse of thee for my disport." + </p> + <p> + Then said the king, "Choose for thyself a horse, and whatso thing else + thou desirest among my matters." + </p> + <p> + So the next day went Sigurd to the wood, and met on the way an old man, + long-bearded, that he knew not, who asked him whither away. + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "I am minded to choose me a horse; come thou, and counsel me + thereon." + </p> + <p> + "Well then," said he, "go we and drive them to the river which is called + Busil-tarn." + </p> + <p> + They did so, and drave the horses down into the deeps of the river, and + all swam back to land but one horse; and that horse Sigurd chose for + himself; grey he was of hue, and young of years, great of growth, and fair + to look on, nor had any man yet crossed his back. + </p> + <p> + Then spake the grey-beard, "From Sleipnir's kin is this horse come, and he + must be nourished heedfully, for it will be the best of all horses;" and + therewithal he vanished away. + </p> + <p> + So Sigurd called the horse Grani, the best of all the horses of the world; + nor was the man he met other than Odin himself. + </p> + <p> + Now yet again spake Regin to Sigurd, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Not enough is thy wealth, and I grieve right sore that thou must needs + run here and there like a churl's son; but I can tell thee where there is + much wealth for the winning, and great name and honour to be won in the + getting of it." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd asked where that might be, and who had watch and ward over it. + </p> + <p> + Regin answered, "Fafnir is his name, and but a little way hence he lies, + on the waste of Gnita-heath; and when thou comest there thou mayst well + say that thou hast never seen more gold heaped together in one place, and + that none might desire more treasure, though he were the most ancient and + famed of all kings." + </p> + <p> + "Young am I," says Sigurd, "yet know I the fashion of this worm, and how + that none durst go against him, so huge and evil is he." + </p> + <p> + Regin said, "Nay it is not so, the fashion and the growth of him is even + as of other lingworms, (1) and an over great tale men make of it; and even + so would thy forefathers have deemed; but thou, though thou be of the kin + of the Volsungs, shalt scarce have the heart and mind of those, who are + told of as the first in all deeds of fame." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "Yea, belike I have little of their hardihood and prowess, + but thou hast naught to do, to lay a coward's name upon me, when I am + scarce out of my childish years. Why dost thou egg me on hereto so + busily?" + </p> + <p> + Regin said, "Therein lies a tale which I must needs tell thee." + </p> + <p> + "Let me hear the same," said Sigurd. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lingworm—longworm, dragon. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIV. Regin's tale of his Brothers, and of the Gold called + Andvari's Hoard. + </h2> + <p> + "The tale begins," said Regin. "Hreidmar was my father's name, a mighty + man and a wealthy: and his first son was named Fafnir, his second Otter, + and I was the third, and the least of them all both for prowess and good + conditions, but I was cunning to work in iron, and silver, and gold, + whereof I could make matters that availed somewhat. Other skill my brother + Otter followed, and had another nature withal, for he was a great fisher, + and above other men herein; in that he had the likeness of an otter by + day, and dwelt ever in the river, and bare fish to bank in his mouth, and + his prey would he ever bring to our father, and that availed him much: for + the most part he kept him in his otter-gear, and then he would come home, + and eat alone, and slumbering, for on the dry land he might see naught. + But Fafnir was by far the greatest and grimmest, and would have all things + about called his. + </p> + <p> + "Now," says Regin, "there was a dwarf called Andvari, who ever abode in + that force, (1) which was called Andvari's force, in the likeness of a + pike, and got meat for himself, for many fish there were in the force; now + Otter, my brother, was ever wont to enter into the force, and bring fish + aland, and lay them one by one on the bank. And so it befell that Odin, + Loki, and Hoenir, as they went their ways, came to Andvari's force, and + Otter had taken a salmon, and ate it slumbering upon the river bank; then + Loki took a stone and cast it at Otter, so that he gat his death thereby; + the gods were well content with their prey, and fell to flaying off the + otter's skin; and in the evening they came to Hreidmar's house, and showed + him what they had taken: thereon he laid hands on them, and doomed them to + such ransom, as that they should fill the otter skin with gold, and cover + it over without with red gold; so they sent Loki to gather gold together + for them; he came to Ran, (2) and got her net, and went therewith to + Andvari's force, and cast the net before the pike, and the pike ran into + the net and was taken. Then said Loki— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "'What fish of all fishes, + Swims strong in the flood, + But hath learnt little wit to beware? + Thine head must thou buy, + From abiding in hell, + And find me the wan waters flame.' +</pre> + <p> + He answered— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "'Andvari folk call me, + Call Oinn my father, + Over many a force have I fared; + For a Norn of ill-luck, + This life on me lay + Through wet ways ever to wade.' +</pre> + <p> + "So Loki beheld the gold of Andvari, and when he had given up the gold, he + had but one ring left, and that also Loki took from him; then the dwarf + went into a hollow of the rocks, and cried out, that that gold-ring, yea + and all the gold withal, should be the bane of every man who should own it + thereafter. + </p> + <p> + "Now the gods rode with the treasure to Hreidmar, and fulfilled the + otter-skin, and set it on its feet, and they must cover it over utterly + with gold: but when this was done then Hreidmar came forth, and beheld yet + one of the muzzle hairs, and bade them cover that withal; then Odin drew + the ring, Andvari's loom, from his hand, and covered up the hair + therewith; then sang Loki— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "'Gold enow, gold enow, + A great weregild, thou hast, + That my head in good hap I may hold; + But thou and thy son + Are naught fated to thrive, + The bane shall it be of you both.' +</pre> + <p> + "Thereafter," says Regin, "Fafnir slew his father and murdered him, nor + got I aught of the treasure, and so evil he grew, that he fell to lying + abroad, and begrudged any share in the wealth to any man, and so became + the worst of all worms, and ever now lies brooding upon that treasure: but + for me, I went to the king and became his master-smith; and thus is the + tale told of how I lost the heritage of my father, and the weregild for my + brother." + </p> + <p> + So spake Regin; but since that time gold is called Ottergild, and for no + other cause than this. + </p> + <p> + But Sigurd answered, "Much hast thou lost, and exceeding evil have thy + kinsmen been! But now, make a sword by thy craft, such a sword as that + none can be made like unto it; so that I may do great deeds therewith, if + my heart avail thereto, and thou wouldst have me slay this mighty dragon." + </p> + <p> + Regin says, "Trust me well herein; and with that same sword shalt thou + slay Fafnir." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Waterfall (Ice. "foss", "fors"). + (2) Ran is the goddess of the sea, wife of Aegir. The otter was + held sacred by Norsefolk and figures in the myth and legend + of most races besides; to this day its killing is held a + great crime by the Parsees (Haug. "Religion of the Parsees", + page 212). Compare penalty above with that for killing the + Welsh king's cat ("Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales". + Ed., Aneurin Owen. Longman, London, 1841, 2 vols. 8vo). +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XV. Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sword Gram. + </h2> + <h3> + So Regin makes a sword, and gives it into Sigurd's hands. He took the + sword, and said— + </h3> + <p> + "Behold thy smithying, Regin!" and therewith smote it into the anvil, and + the sword brake; so he cast down the brand, and bade him forge a better. + </p> + <p> + Then Regin forged another sword, and brought it to Sigurd, who looked + thereon. + </p> + <p> + Then said Regin, "Belike thou art well content therewith, hard master + though thou be in smithying." + </p> + <p> + So Sigurd proved the sword, and brake it even as the first; then he said + to Regin— + </p> + <p> + "Ah, art thou, mayhappen, a traitor and a liar like to those former kin of + thine?" + </p> + <p> + Therewith he went to his mother, and she welcomed him in seemly wise, and + they talked and drank together. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Sigurd, "Have I heard aright, that King Sigmund gave thee the + good sword Gram in two pieces?" + </p> + <p> + "True enough," she said. + </p> + <p> + So Sigurd said, "Deliver them into my hands, for I would have them." + </p> + <p> + She said he looked like to win great fame, and gave him the sword. + Therewith went Sigurd to Regin, and bade him make a good sword thereof as + he best might; Regin grew wroth thereat, but went into the smithy with the + pieces of the sword, thinking well meanwhile that Sigurd pushed his head + far enow into the matter of smithying. So he made a sword, and as he bore + it forth from the forge, it seemed to the smiths as though fire burned + along the edges thereof. Now he bade Sigurd take the sword, and said he + knew not how to make a sword if this one failed. Then Sigurd smote it into + the anvil, and cleft it down to the stock thereof, and neither burst the + sword nor brake it. Then he praised the sword much, and thereafter went to + the river with a lock of wool, and threw it up against the stream, and it + fell asunder when it met the sword. Then was Sigurd glad, and went home. + </p> + <p> + But Regin said, "Now whereas I have made the sword for thee, belike thou + wilt hold to thy troth given, and wilt go meet Fafnir?" + </p> + <p> + "Surely will I hold thereto," said Sigurd, "yet first must I avenge my + father." + </p> + <p> + Now Sigurd the older he grew, the more he grew in the love of all men, so + that every child loved him well. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVI. The prophecy of Grifir. + </h2> + <p> + There was a man hight Grifir,(1) who was Sigurd's mother's brother, and a + little after the forging of the sword Sigurd went to Grifir, because he + was a man who knew things to come, and what was fated to men: of him + Sigurd asked diligently how his life should go; but Grifir was long or he + spake, yet at the last, by reason of Sigurd's exceeding great prayers, he + told him all his life and the fate thereof, even as afterwards came to + pass. So when Grifir had told him all even as he would, he went back home; + and a little after he and Regin met. + </p> + <p> + Then said Regin, "Go thou and slay Fafnir, even as thou hast given thy + word." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "That work shall be wrought; but another is first to be done, + the avenging of Sigmund the king and the other of my kinsmen who fell in + that their last fight." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Called "Gripir" in the Edda. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVII. Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father. + </h2> + <h3> + Now Sigurd went to the kings, and spake thus— + </h3> + <p> + "Here have I abode a space with you, and I owe you thanks and reward, for + great love and many gifts and all due honour; but now will I away from the + land and go meet the sons of Hunding, and do them to wit that the Volsungs + are not all dead; and your might would I have to strengthen me therein." + </p> + <p> + So the kings said that they would give him all things soever that he + desired, and therewith was a great army got ready, and all things wrought + in the most heedful wise, ships and all war-gear, so that his journey + might be of the stateliest: but Sigurd himself steered the dragon-keel + which was the greatest and noblest; richly wrought were their sails, and + glorious to look on. + </p> + <p> + So they sail and have wind at will; but when a few days were overpast, + there arose a great storm on the sea, and the waves were to behold even as + the foam of men's blood; but Sigurd bade take in no sail, howsoever they + might be riven, but rather to lay on higher than heretofore. But as they + sailed past the rocks of a ness, a certain man hailed the ships, and asked + who was captain over that navy; then was it told him that the chief and + lord was Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, the most famed of all the young men + who now are. + </p> + <p> + Then said the man, "Naught but one thing, certes, do all say of him, that + none among the sons of kings may be likened unto him; now fain were I that + ye would shorten sail on some of the ships, and take me aboard." + </p> + <p> + Then they asked him of his name, and he sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Hnikar I hight, + When I gladdened Huginn, + And went to battle, + Bright son of Volsung; + Now may ye call + The carl on the cliff top, + Feng or Fjolnir: + Fain would I with you." +</pre> + <p> + They made for land therewith, and took that man aboard. + </p> + <p> + Then quoth Sigurd,(1) as the song says— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Tell me this, O Hnikar, + Since full well thou knowest + Fate of Gods, good and ill of mankind, + What best our hap foresheweth, + When amid the battle + About us sweeps the sword edge." +</pre> + <p> + Quoth Hnikar— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Good are many tokens + If thereof men wotted + When the swords are sweeping: + Fair fellow deem I + The dark-winged raven, + In war, to weapon-wielder. + + "The second good thing: + When abroad thou goest + For the long road well arrayed, + Good if thou seest + Two men standing, + Fain of fame within the forecourt. + + "A third thing: + Good hearing, + The wolf a howling + Abroad under ash boughs; + Good hap shalt thou have + Dealing with helm-staves, + If thou seest these fare before thee. + + "No man in fight + His face shall turn + Against the moon's sister + Low, late-shining, + For he winneth battle + Who best beholdeth + Through the midmost sword-play, + And the sloping ranks best shapeth. + + "Great is the trouble + Of foot ill-tripping, + When arrayed for fight thou farest, + For on both sides about + Are the D?sir (2) by thee, + Guileful, wishful of thy wounding. + + "Fair-combed, well washen + Let each warrior be, + Nor lack meat in the morning, + For who can rule + The eve's returning, + And base to fall before fate grovelling." +</pre> + <p> + Then the storm abated, and on they fared till they came aland in the realm + of Hunding's sons, and then Fjolnir vanished away. + </p> + <p> + Then they let loose fire and sword, and slew men and burnt their abodes, + and did waste all before them: a great company of folk fled before the + face of them to Lyngi the King, and tell him that men of war are in the + land, and are faring with such rage and fury that the like has never been + heard of; and that the sons of King Hunding had no great forecast in that + they said they would never fear the Volsungs more, for here was come + Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, as captain over this army. + </p> + <p> + So King Lyngi let send the war-message all throughout his realm, and has + no will to flee, but summons to him all such as would give him aid. So he + came against Sigurd with a great army, he and his brothers with him, and + an exceeding fierce fight befell; many a spear and many an arrow might men + see there raised aloft, axes hard driven, shields cleft and byrnies torn, + helmets were shivered, skulls split atwain, and many a man felled to the + cold earth. + </p> + <p> + And now when the fight has long dured in such wise, Sigurd goes forth + before the banners, and has the good sword Gram in his hand, and smites + down both men and horses, and goes through the thickest of the throng with + both arms red with blood to the shoulder; and folk shrank aback before him + wheresoever he went, nor would either helm or byrny hold before him, and + no man deemed he had ever seen his like. So a long while the battle + lasted, and many a man was slain, and furious was the onset; till at last + it befell, even as seldom comes to hand, when a land army falls on, that, + do whatso they might, naught was brought about; but so many men fell of + the sons of Hunding that the tale of them may not be told; and now whenas + Sigurd was among the foremost, came the sons of Hunding against him, and + Sigurd smote therewith at Lyngi the king, and clave him down, both helm + and head, and mail-clad body, and thereafter he smote Hjorward his brother + atwain, and then slew all the other sons of Hunding who were yet alive, + and the more part of their folk withal. + </p> + <p> + Now home goes Sigurd with fair victory won, and plenteous wealth and great + honour, which he had gotten to him in this journey, and feasts were made + for him against he came back to the realm. + </p> + <p> + But when Sigurd had been at home but a little, came Regin to talk with + him, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Belike thou wilt now have good will to bow down Fafnir's crest according + to thy word plighted, since thou hast thus revenged thy father and the + others of thy kin." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "That will we hold to, even as we have promised, nor did + it ever fall from our memory." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) This and verses following were inserted from the "Reginsmal" + by the translators. + (2) "D?sir", sing. "D?s". These are the guardian beings who + follow a man from his birth to his death. The word + originally means sister, and is used throughout the Eddaic + poems as a dignified synonym for woman, lady. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVIII. Of the Slaying of the Worm Fafnir. + </h2> + <p> + Now Sigurd and Regin ride up the heath along that same way wherein Fafnir + was wont to creep when he fared to the water; and folk say that thirty + fathoms was the height of that cliff along which he lay when he drank of + the water below. Then Sigurd spake: + </p> + <p> + "How sayedst thou, Regin, that this drake (1) was no greater than other + lingworms; methinks the track of him is marvellous great?" + </p> + <p> + Then said Regin, "Make thee a hole, and sit down therein, and whenas the + worm comes to the water, smite him into the heart, and so do him to death, + and win thee great fame thereby." + </p> + <p> + But Sigurd said, "What will betide me if I be before the blood of the + worm?" + </p> + <p> + Says Regin, "Of what avail to counsel thee if thou art still afeard of + everything? Little art thou like thy kin in stoutness of heart." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd rides right over the heath; but Regin gets him gone, sore + afeard. + </p> + <p> + But Sigurd fell to digging him a pit, and whiles he was at that work, + there came to him an old man with a long beard, and asked what he wrought + there, and he told him. + </p> + <p> + Then answered the old man and said, "Thou doest after sorry counsel: + rather dig thee many pits, and let the blood run therein; but sit thee + down in one thereof, and so thrust the worm's heart through." + </p> + <p> + And therewithal he vanished away; but Sigurd made the pits even as it was + shown to him. + </p> + <p> + Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook all + about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as he + went; but Sigurd neither trembled nor was adrad at the roaring of him. So + whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword under his + left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts; then up leapt Sigurd + from the pit and drew the sword back again unto him, and therewith was his + arm all bloody, up to the very shoulder. + </p> + <p> + Now when that mighty worm was ware that he had his death-wound, then he + lashed out head and tail, so that all things soever that were before him + were broken to pieces. + </p> + <p> + So whenas Fafnir had his death-wound, he asked "Who art thou? And who is + thy father? And what thy kin, that thou wert so hardy as to bear weapons + against me?" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "Unknown to men is my kin. I am called a noble beast: (2) + neither father have I nor mother, and all alone have I fared hither." + </p> + <p> + Said Fafnir, "Whereas thou hast neither father nor mother, of what wonder + wert thou born then? But now, though thou tellest me not thy name on this + my death-day, yet thou knowest verily that thou liest unto me." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Sigurd am I called, and my father was Sigmund." + </p> + <p> + Says Fafnir, "Who egged thee on to this deed, and why wouldst thou be + driven to it? Hadst thou never heard how that all folk were adrad of me, + and of the awe of my countenance? But an eager father thou hadst, O bright + eyed swain!" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "A hardy heart urged me on hereto; and a strong hand and + this sharp sword, which well thou knowest now, stood me in stead in the + doing of the deed; 'Seldom hath hardy eld a faint-heart youth.'" + </p> + <p> + Fafnir said, "Well, I wot that hadst thou waxed amid thy kin, thou + mightest have good skill to slay folk in thine anger; but more of a marvel + is it, that thou, a bondsman taken in war, shouldst have the heart to set + on me, 'for few among bondsmen have heart for the fight.'" + </p> + <p> + Said Sigurd, "Wilt thou then cast it in my teeth that I am far away from + my kin? Albeit I was a bondsman, yet was I never shackled. God wot thou + hast found me free enow." + </p> + <p> + Fafnir answered, "In angry wise dost thou take my speech; but hearken, for + that same gold which I have owned shall be thy bane too." + </p> + <p> + Quoth Sigurd, "Fain would we keep all our wealth til that day of days; yet + shall each man die once for all." + </p> + <p> + Said Fafnir, "Few things wilt thou do after my counsel; but take heed that + thou shalt be drowned if thou farest unwarily over the sea; so bide thou + rather on the dry land, for the coming of the calm tide." + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "Speak, Fafnir, and say, if thou art so exceeding wise, + who are the Norns who rule the lot of all mothers' sons." + </p> + <p> + Fafnir answers, "Many there be and wide apart; for some are of the kin of + the Aesir, and some are of Elfin kin, and some there are who are daughters + of Dvalin." + </p> + <p> + Said Sigurd, "How namest thou the holm whereon Surt (3) and the Aesir mix + and mingle the water of the sword?" + </p> + <p> + "Unshapen is that holm hight," said Fafnir. + </p> + <p> + And yet again he said, "Regin, my brother, has brought about my end, and + it gladdens my heart that thine too he bringeth about; for thus will + things be according to his will." + </p> + <p> + And once again he spake, "A countenance of terror I bore up before all + folk, after that I brooded over the heritage of my brother, and on every + side did I spout out poison, so that none durst come anigh me, and of no + weapon was I adrad, nor ever had I so many men before me, as that I deemed + myself not stronger than all; for all men were sore afeard of me." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered and said, "Few may have victory by means of that same + countenance of terror, for whoso comes amongst many shall one day find + that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all." + </p> + <p> + Then says Fafnir, "Such counsel I give thee, that thou take thy horse and + ride away at thy speediest, for ofttimes it falls out so, that he who gets + a death-wound avenges himself none the less." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "Such as thy redes are I will nowise do after them; nay, + I will ride now to thy lair and take to me that great treasure of thy + kin." + </p> + <p> + "Ride there then," said Fafnir, "and thou shalt find gold enow to suffice + thee for all thy life-days; yet shall that gold be thy bane, and the bane + of every one soever who owns it." + </p> + <p> + Then up stood Sigurd, and said, "Home would I ride and lose all that + wealth, if I deemed that by the losing thereof I should never die; but + every brave and true man will fain have his hand on wealth till that last + day; but thou, Fafnir, wallow in the death-pain till Death and Hell have + thee." + </p> + <p> + And therewithal Fafnir died. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lat. "draco", a dragon. + (2) "Unknown to men is my kin." Sigurd refusing to tell his + name is to be referred to the superstition that a dying man + could throw a curse on his enemy. + (3) Surt; a fire-giant, who will destroy the world at the + Ragnarok, or destruction of all things. Aesir; the gods. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIX. Of the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar. + </h2> + <p> + Thereafter came Regin to Sigurd, and said, "Hail, lord and master, a noble + victory hast thou won in the slaying of Fafnir, whereas none durst + heretofore abide in the path of him; and now shall this deed of fame be of + renown while the world stands fast." + </p> + <p> + Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and presently + thereafter spake from heavy mood: "Mine own brother hast thou slain, and + scarce may I be called sackless of the deed." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd took his sword Gram and dried it on the earth, and spake to + Regin— + </p> + <p> + "Afar thou faredst when I wrought this deed and tried this sharp sword + with the hand and the might of me; with all the might and main of a dragon + must I strive, while thou wert laid alow in the heather-bush, wotting not + if it were earth or heaven." + </p> + <p> + Said Regin, "Long might this worm have lain in his lair, if the sharp + sword I forged with my hand had not been good at need to thee; had that + not been, neither thou nor any man would have prevailed against him as at + this time." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answers, "Whenas men meet foes in fight, better is stout heart than + sharp sword." + </p> + <p> + Then said Regin, exceeding heavily, "Thou hast slain my brother, and + scarce may I be sackless of the deed." + </p> + <p> + Therewith Sigurd cut out the heart of the worm with the sword called + Ridil; but Regin drank of Fafnir's blood, and spake, "Grant me a boon, and + do a thing little for thee to do. Bear the heart to the fire, and roast + it, and give me thereof to eat." + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd went his ways and roasted it on a rod; and when the blood + bubbled out he laid his finger thereon to essay it, if it were fully done; + and then he set his finger in his mouth, and lo, when the heart-blood of + the worm touched his tongue, straightway he knew the voice of all fowls, + and heard withal how the wood-peckers chattered in the brake beside him— + </p> + <p> + "There sittest thou, Sigurd, roasting Fafnir's heart for another, that + thou shouldest eat thine ownself, and then thou shouldest become the + wisest of all men." + </p> + <p> + And another spake: "There lies Regin, minded to beguile the man who trusts + in him." + </p> + <p> + But yet again said the third, "Let him smite the head from off him then, + and be only lord of all that gold." + </p> + <p> + And once more the fourth spake and said, "Ah, the wiser were he if he + followed after that good counsel, and rode thereafter to Fafnir's lair, + and took to him that mighty treasure that lieth there, and then rode over + Hindfell, whereas sleeps Brynhild; for there would he get great wisdom. + Ah, wise he were, if he did after your redes, and bethought him of his own + weal; 'for where wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near.'" + </p> + <p> + Then cried the fifth: "Yea, yea, not so wise is he as I deem him, if he + spareth him, whose brother he hath slain already." + </p> + <p> + At last spake the sixth: "Handy and good rede to slay him, and be lord of + the treasure!" + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "The time is unborn wherein Regin shall be my bane; nay, + rather one road shall both these brothers fare." + </p> + <p> + And therewith he drew his sword Gram and struck off Regin's head. + </p> + <p> + Then heard Sigurd the wood-peckers a-singing, even as the song says. (1) + </p> + <p> + For the first sang: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Bind thou, Sigurd, + The bright red rings! + Not meet it is + Many things to fear. + A fair may know I, + Fair of all the fairest + Girt about with gold, + Good for thy getting." +</pre> + <p> + And the second: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Green go the ways + Toward the hall of Giuki + That the fates show forth + To those who fare thither; + There the rich king + Reareth a daughter; + Thou shalt deal, Sigurd, + With gold for thy sweetling." +</pre> + <p> + And the third: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "A high hall is there + Reared upon Hindfell, + Without all around it + Sweeps the red flame aloft. + Wise men wrought + That wonder of halls + With the unhidden gleam + Of the glory of gold." +</pre> + <p> + Then the fourth sang: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Soft on the fell + A shield-may sleepeth + The lime-trees' red plague + Playing about her: + The sleep-thorn set Odin + Into that maiden + For her choosing in war + The one he willed not. + + "Go, son, behold + That may under helm + Whom from battle + Vinskornir bore, + From her may not turn + The torment of sleep. + Dear offspring of kings + In the dread Norns' despite." +</pre> + <p> + Then Sigurd ate some deal of Fafnir's heart, and the remnant he kept. Then + he leapt on his horse and rode along the trail of the worm Fafnir, and so + right unto his abiding-place; and he found it open, and beheld all the + doors and the gear of them that they were wrought of iron: yea, and all + the beams of the house; and it was dug down deep into the earth: there + found Sigurd gold exceeding plenteous, and the sword Rotti; and thence he + took the Helm of Awe, and the Gold Byrny, and many things fair and good. + So much gold he found there, that he thought verily that scarce might two + horses, or three belike, bear it thence. So he took all the gold and laid + it in two great chests, and set them on the horse Grani, and took the + reins of him, but nowise will he stir, neither will he abide smiting. Then + Sigurd knows the mind of the horse, and leaps on the back of him, and + smites and spurs into him, and off the horse goes even as if he were + unladen. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) The Songs of the Birds were inserted from "Reginsmal" by the + translators. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XX. Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the Mountain. + </h2> + <p> + By long roads rides Sigurd, till he comes at the last up on to Hindfell, + and wends his way south to the land of the Franks; and he sees before him + on the fell a great light, as of fire burning, and flaming up even unto + the heavens; and when he came thereto, lo, a shield-hung castle before + him, and a banner on the topmost thereof: into the castle went Sigurd, and + saw one lying there asleep, and all-armed. Therewith he takes the helm + from off the head of him, and sees that it is no man, but a woman; and she + was clad in a byrny as closely set on her as though it had grown to her + flesh; so he rent it from the collar downwards; and then the sleeves + thereof, and ever the sword bit on it as if it were cloth. Then said + Sigurd that over-long had she lain asleep; but she asked— + </p> + <p> + "What thing of great might is it that has prevailed to rend my byrny, and + draw me from my sleep?" + </p> + <p> + Even as sings the song: (1) + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "What bit on the byrny, + Why breaks my sleep away, + Who has turned from me + My wan tormenting?" +</pre> + <p> + "Ah, is it so, that here is come Sigurd Sigmundson, bearing Fafnir's helm + on his head and Fafnir's bane in his hand?" + </p> + <p> + Then answered Sigurd— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Sigmund's son + With Sigurd's sword + E'en now rent down + The raven's wall." +</pre> + <p> + "Of the Volsung's kin is he who has done the deed; but now I have heard + that thou art daughter of a mighty king, and folk have told us that thou + wert lovely and full of lore, and now I will try the same." + </p> + <p> + Then Brynhild sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Long have I slept + And slumbered long, + Many and long are the woes of mankind, + By the might of Odin + Must I bide helpless + To shake from off me the spells of slumber. + + "Hail to the day come back! + Hail, sons of the daylight! + Hail to thee, dark night, and thy daughter! + Look with kind eyes a-down, + On us sitting here lonely, + And give unto us the gain that we long for. + + "Hail to the Aesir, + And the sweet Asyniur! (2) + Hail to the fair earth fulfilled of plenty! + Fair words, wise hearts, + Would we win from you, + And healing hands while life we hold." +</pre> + <p> + Then Brynhild speaks again and says, "Two kings fought, one hight Helm + Gunnar, an old man, and the greatest of warriors, and Odin had promised + the victory unto him; but his foe was Agnar, or Audi's brother: and so I + smote down Helm Gunnar in the fight; and Odin, in vengeance for that deed, + stuck the sleep-thorn into me, and said that I should never again have the + victory, but should be given away in marriage; but thereagainst I vowed a + vow, that never would I wed one who knew the name of fear." + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "Teach us the lore of mighty matters!" + </p> + <p> + She said, "Belike thou cannest more skill in all than I; yet will I teach + thee; yea, and with thanks, if there be aught of my cunning that will in + anywise pleasure thee, either of runes or of other matters that are the + root of things; but now let us drink together, and may the Gods give to us + twain a good day, that thou mayst win good help and fame from my wisdom, + and that thou mayst hereafter mind thee of that which we twain speak + together." + </p> + <p> + Then Brynhild filled a beaker and bore it to Sigurd, and gave him the + drink of love, and spake— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Beer bring I to thee, + Fair fruit of the byrnies' clash, + Mixed is it mightily, + Mingled with fame, + Brimming with bright lays + And pitiful runes, + Wise words, sweet words, + Speech of great game. + + "Runes of war know thou, + If great thou wilt be! + Cut them on hilt of hardened sword, + Some on the brand's back, + Some on its shining side, + Twice name Tyr therein. + + "Sea-runes good at need, + Learnt for ship's saving, + For the good health of the swimming horse; + On the stern cut them, + Cut them on the rudder-blade + And set flame to shaven oar: + Howso big be the sea-hills, + Howso blue beneath, + Hail from the main then comest thou home. + + "Word-runes learn well + If thou wilt that no man + Pay back grief for the grief thou gavest; + Wind thou these, + Weave thou these, + Cast thou these all about thee, + At the Thing, + Where folk throng, + Unto the full doom faring. + + "Of ale-runes know the wisdom + If thou wilt that another's wife + Should not bewray thine heart that trusteth: + Cut them on the mead-horn, + On the back of each hand, + And nick an N upon thy nail. + + "Ale have thou heed + To sign from all harm + Leek lay thou in the liquor, + Then I know for sure + Never cometh to thee, + Mead with hurtful matters mingled. + + "Help-runes shalt thou gather + If skill thou wouldst gain + To loosen child from low-laid mother; + Cut be they in hands hollow, + Wrapped the joints round about; + Call for the Good-folks' gainsome helping. + + "Learn the bough-runes wisdom + If leech-lore thou lovest; + And wilt wot about wounds' searching + On the bark be they scored; + On the buds of trees + Whose boughs look eastward ever. + + "Thought-runes shalt thou deal with + If thou wilt be of all men + Fairest-souled wight, and wisest, + These areded + These first cut + These first took to heart high Hropt. + + "On the shield were they scored + That stands before the shining God, + On Early-waking's ear, + On All-knowing's hoof, + On the wheel which runneth + Under Rognir's chariot; + On Sleipnir's jaw-teeth, + On the sleigh's traces. + + "On the rough bear's paws, + And on Bragi's tongue, + On the wolf's claws, + And on eagle's bill, + On bloody wings, + And bridge's end; + On loosing palms, + And pity's path: + + "On glass, and on gold, + And on goodly silver, + In wine and in wort, + And the seat of the witch-wife; + On Gungnir's point, + And Grani's bosom; + On the Norn's nail, + And the neb of the night-owl. + + "All these so cut, + Were shaven and sheared, + And mingled in with holy mead, + And sent upon wide ways enow; + Some abide with the Elves, + Some abide with the Aesir, + Or with the wise Vanir, + Some still hold the sons of mankind. + + "These be the book-runes, + And the runes of good help, + And all the ale-runes, + And the runes of much might; + To whomso they may avail, + Unbewildered unspoilt; + They are wholesome to have: + Thrive thou with these then. + When thou hast learnt their lore, + Till the Gods end thy life-days. + + "Now shalt thou choose thee + E'en as choice is bidden, + Sharp steel's root and stem, + Choose song or silence; + See to each in thy heart, + All hurt has been heeded." +</pre> + <p> + Then answered Sigurd— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Ne'er shall I flee, + Though thou wottest me fey; + Never was I born for blenching, + Thy loved rede will I + Hold aright in my heart + Even as long as I may live." +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) The stanzas on the two following pages were inserted here + from "Sigrdrifasmal" by the translators. + (2) Goddesses. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0021" id="link2HCH0021"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXI. More Wise Words of Brynhild. + </h2> + <h3> + Sigurd spake now, "Sure no wiser woman than thou art one may be found in + the wide world; yea, yea, teach me more yet of thy wisdom!" + </h3> + <p> + She answers, "Seemly is it that I do according to thy will, and show thee + forth more redes of great avail, for thy prayer's sake and thy wisdom;" + and she spake withal— + </p> + <p> + "Be kindly to friend and kin, and reward not their trespasses against + thee; bear and forbear, and win for thee thereby long enduring praise of + men. + </p> + <p> + "Take good heed of evil things: a may's love, and a man's wife; full oft + thereof doth ill befall! + </p> + <p> + "Let not thy mind be overmuch crossed by unwise men at thronged meetings + of folk; for oft these speak worse than they wot of; lest thou be called a + dastard, and art minded to think that thou art even as is said; slay such + an one on another day, and so reward his ugly talk. + </p> + <p> + "If thou farest by the way whereas bide evil things, be well ware of + thyself; take not harbour near the highway, though thou be benighted, for + oft abide there ill wights for men's bewilderment. + </p> + <p> + "Let not fair women beguile thee, such as thou mayst meet at the feast, so + that the thought thereof stand thee in stead of sleep, and a quiet mind; + yea, draw them not to thee with kisses or other sweet things of love. + </p> + <p> + "If thou hearest the fool's word of a drunken man, strive not with him + being drunk with drink and witless; many a grief, yea, and the very death, + groweth from out such things. + </p> + <p> + "Fight thy foes in the field, nor be burnt in thine house. + </p> + <p> + 'Never swear thou wrongsome oath; great and grim is the reward for the + breaking of plighted troth. + </p> + <p> + "Give kind heed to dead men,—sick-dead, Sea-dead; deal heedfully + with their dead corpses. + </p> + <p> + "Trow never in him for whom thou hast slain father, brother, or whatso + near kin, yea, though young he be; 'for oft waxes wolf in youngling'. + </p> + <p> + "Look thou with good heed to the wiles of thy friends; but little skill is + given to me, that I should foresee the ways of thy life; yet good it were + that hate fell not on thee from those of thy wife's house." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd spake, "None among the sons of men can be found wiser than thou; + and thereby swear I, that thee will I have as my own, for near to my heart + thou liest." + </p> + <p> + She answers, "Thee would I fainest choose, though I had all men's sons to + choose from." + </p> + <p> + And thereto they plighted troth both of them. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0022" id="link2HCH0022"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXII. Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. (1) + </h2> + <p> + Now Sigurd rides away; many-folded is his shield, and blazing with red + gold, and the image of a dragon is drawn thereon; and this same was dark + brown above, and bright red below; and with even such-like image was + adorned helm, and saddle, and coat-armour; and he was clad in the golden + byrny, and all his weapons were gold wrought. + </p> + <p> + Now for this cause was the drake drawn on all his weapons, that when he + was seen of men, all folk might know who went there; yea, all those who + had heard of his slaying of that great dragon, that the Voerings call + Fafnir; and for that cause are his weapons gold-wrought, and brown of hue, + and that he was by far above other men in courtesy and goodly manners, and + well-nigh in all things else; and whenas folk tell of all the mightiest + champions, and the noblest chiefs, then ever is he named the foremost, and + his name goes wide about on all tongues north of the sea of the + Greek-lands, and even so shall it be while the world endures. + </p> + <p> + Now the hair of this Sigurd was golden-red of hue, fair of fashion, and + falling down in great locks; thick and short was his beard, and of no + other colour, high-nosed he was, broad and high-boned of face; so keen + were his eyes, that few durst gaze up under the brows of him; his + shoulders were as broad to look on as the shoulders of two; most duly was + his body fashioned betwixt height and breadth, and in such wise as was + seemliest; and this is the sign told of his height, that when he was girt + with his sword Gram, which same was seven spans long, as he went through + the full-grown rye-fields, the dew-shoe of the said sword smote the ears + of the standing corn; and, for all that, greater was his strength than his + growth: well could he wield sword, and cast forth spear, shoot shaft, and + hold shield, bend bow, back horse, and do all the goodly deeds that he + learned in his youth's days. + </p> + <p> + Wise he was to know things yet undone; and the voice of all fowls he knew, + wherefore few things fell on him unawares. + </p> + <p> + Of many words he was, and so fair of speech withal, that whensoever he + made it his business to speak, he never left speaking before that to all + men it seemed full sure, that no otherwise must the matter be than as he + said. + </p> + <p> + His sport and pleasure it was to give aid to his own folk, and to prove + himself in mighty matters, to take wealth from his unfriends, and give the + same to his friends. + </p> + <p> + Never did he lose heart, and of naught was he adrad. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is nearly literally the same as chapter 166 of + the "Wilkinasaga"; Ed.: Perinskiold, Stockholm, 1715. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0023" id="link2HCH0023"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIII. Sigurd comes to Hlymdale. + </h2> + <p> + Forth Sigurd rides till he comes to a great and goodly dwelling, the lord + whereof was a mighty chief called Heimir; he had to wife a sister of + Brynhild, who was hight Bekkhild, because she had bidden at home, and + learned handicraft, whereas Brynhild fared with helm and byrny unto the + wars, wherefore was she called Brynhild. + </p> + <p> + Heimir and Bekkhild had a son called Alswid, the most courteous of men. + </p> + <p> + Now at this stead were men disporting them abroad, but when they see the + man riding thereto, they leave their play to wonder at him, for none such + had they ever seen erst; so they went to meet him, and gave him good + welcome; Alswid bade him abide and have such things at his hands as he + would; and he takes his bidding blithesomely; due service withal was + established for him; four men bore the treasure of gold from off the + horse, and the fifth took it to him to guard the same; therein were many + things to behold, things of great price, and seldom seen; and great game + and joy men had to look on byrnies and helms, and mighty rings, and + wondrous great golden stoups, and all kinds of war weapons. + </p> + <p> + So there dwelt Sigurd long in great honour holden; and tidings of that + deed of fame spread wide through all lands, of how he had slain that + hideous and fearful dragon. So good joyance had they there together, and + each was leal to other; and their sport was in the arraying of their + weapons, and the shafting of their arrows, and the flying of their + falcons. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0024" id="link2HCH0024"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIV. Sigurd sees Brynhild at Hlymdale. + </h2> + <p> + In those days came home to Heimir, Brynhild, his foster-daughter, and she + sat in her bower with her maidens, and could more skill in handycraft than + other women; she sat, overlaying cloth with gold, and sewing therein the + great deeds which Sigurd had wrought, the slaying of the Worm, and the + taking of the wealth of him, and the death of Regin withal. + </p> + <p> + Now tells the tale, that on a day Sigurd rode into the wood with hawk, and + hound, and men thronging; and whenas he came home his hawk flew up to a + high tower, and sat him down on a certain window. Then fared Sigurd after + his hawk, and he saw where sat a fair woman, and knew that it was + Brynhild, and he deems all things he sees there to be worthy together, + both her fairness, and the fair things she wrought: and therewith he goes + into the hall, but has no more joyance in the games of the men folk. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Alswid, "Why art thou so bare of bliss? this manner of thine + grieveth us thy friends; why then wilt thou not hold to thy gleesome ways? + Lo, thy hawks pine now, and thy horse Grani droops; and long will it be + ere we are booted thereof?" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "Good friend, hearken to what lies on my mind; for my + hawk flew up into a certain tower; and when I came thereto and took him, + lo there I saw a fair woman, and she sat by a needlework of gold, and did + thereon my deeds that are passed, and my deeds that are to come." + </p> + <p> + Then said Alswid, "Thou has seen Brynhild, Budli's daughter, the greatest + of great women." + </p> + <p> + "Yea, verily," said Sigurd; "but how came she hither?" + </p> + <p> + Aswid answered, "Short space there was betwixt the coming hither of the + twain of you." + </p> + <p> + Says Sigurd, "Yea, but a few days agone I knew her for the best of the + world's women." + </p> + <p> + Alswid said, "Give not all thine heed to one woman, being such a man as + thou art; ill life to sit lamenting for what we may not have." + </p> + <p> + "I shall go meet her," says Sigurd, "and get from her love like my love, + and give her a gold ring in token thereof." + </p> + <p> + Alswid answered, "None has ever yet been known whom she would let sit + beside her, or to whom she would give drink; for ever will she hold to + warfare and to the winning of all kinds of fame." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "We know not for sure whether she will give us answer or not, + or grant us a seat beside her." + </p> + <p> + So the next day after, Sigurd went to the bower, but Alswid stood outside + the bower door, fitting shafts to his arrows. + </p> + <p> + Now Sigurd spake, "Abide, fair and hale lady,—how farest thou?" + </p> + <p> + She answered, "Well it fares; my kin and my friends live yet: but who + shall say what goodhap folk may bear to their life's end?" + </p> + <p> + He sat him down by her, and there came in four damsels with great golden + beakers, and the best of wine therein; and these stood before the twain. + </p> + <p> + Then said Brynhild, "This seat is for few, but and if my father come." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Yet is it granted to one that likes me well." + </p> + <p> + Now that chamber was hung with the best and fairest of hangings, and the + floor thereof was all covered with cloth. + </p> + <p> + Sigurd spake, "Now has it come to pass even as thou didst promise." + </p> + <p> + "O be thou welcome here!" said she, and arose therewith, and the four + damsels with her, and bore the golden beaker to him, and bade him drink; + he stretched out his hand to the beaker, and took it, and her hand withal, + and drew her down beside him; and cast his arms round about her neck and + kissed her, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Thou art the fairest that was ever born!" + </p> + <p> + But Brynhild said, "Ah, wiser is it not to cast faith and troth into a + woman's power, for ever shall they break that they have promised." + </p> + <p> + He said, "That day would dawn the best of days over our heads whereon each + of each should be made happy." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "It is not fated that we should abide together; I am a + shield-may, and wear helm on head even as the kings of war, and them full + oft I help, neither is the battle become loathsome to me." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "What fruit shall be of our life, if we live not + together: harder to bear this pain that lies hereunder, than the stroke of + sharp sword." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "I shall gaze on the hosts of the war-kings, but thou + shalt wed Gudrun, the daughter of Giuki." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answered, "What king's daughter lives to beguile me? neither am I + double-hearted herein; and now I swear by the Gods that thee shall I have + for mine own, or no woman else." + </p> + <p> + And even suchlike wise spake she. + </p> + <p> + Sigurd thanked her for her speech, and gave her a gold ring, and now they + swore oath anew, and so he went his ways to his men, and is with them + awhile in great bliss. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0025" id="link2HCH0025"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXV. Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter. + </h2> + <p> + There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; three + sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun was the + name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these children were + far before all other king's children in all prowess, and in goodliness and + growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of + fame. But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife. + </p> + <p> + Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they + both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man and + a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and the + greatest of warriors. Grimhild was a fierce-hearted woman. + </p> + <p> + Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those + children, so far before the sons of men. + </p> + <p> + On a day Gudrun says to her mays that she may have no joy of heart; then a + certain woman asked her wherefore her joy was departed. + </p> + <p> + She answered, "Grief came to me in my dreams, therefore is there sorrow in + my heart, since thou must needs ask thereof." + </p> + <p> + "Tell it me, then, thy dream," said the woman, "for dreams oft forecast + but the weather." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Nay, nay, no weather is this; I dreamed that I had a fair + hawk on my wrist, feathered with feathers of gold." + </p> + <p> + Says the woman, "Many have heard tell of thy beauty, thy wisdom, and thy + courtesy; some king's son abides thee, then." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "I dreamed that naught was so dear to me as this hawk, and + all my wealth had I cast aside rather than him." + </p> + <p> + The woman said, "Well, then, the man thou shalt have will be of the + goodliest, and well shalt thou love him." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answered, "It grieves me that I know not who he shall be; let us go + seek Brynhild, for she belike will wot thereof." + </p> + <p> + So they arrayed them in gold and many a fair thing, and she went with her + damsels till they came to the hall of Brynhild, and that hall was dight + with gold, and stood on a high hill; and whenas their goings were seen, it + was told Brynhild, that a company of women drove toward the burg in gilded + waggons. + </p> + <p> + "That shall be Gudrun, Giuki's daughter," says she: "I dreamed of her last + night; let us go meet her! No fairer woman may come to our house." + </p> + <p> + So they went abroad to meet them, and gave them good greeting, and they + went into the goodly hall together; fairly painted it was within, and well + adorned with silver vessel; cloths were spread under the feet of them, and + all folk served them, and in many wise they sported. + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun was somewhat silent. + </p> + <p> + Then said Brynhild, "Ill to abash folk of their mirth; prithee do not so; + let us talk together for our disport of mighty kings and their great + deeds." + </p> + <p> + "Good talk," says Gudrun, "let us do even so; what kings deemest thou to + have been the first of all men?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild says, "The sons of Haki, and Hagbard withal; they brought to pass + many a deed of fame in the warfare." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Great men certes, and of noble fame! Yet Sigar took their + one sister, and burned the other, house and all; and they may be called + slow to revenge the deed; why didst thou not name my brethren, who are + held to be the first of men as at this time?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild says, "Men of good hope are they surely, though but little proven + hitherto; but one I know far before them, Sigurd, the son of Sigmund the + king; a youngling was he in the days when he slew the sons of Hunding, and + revenged his father, and Eylimi, his mother's father." + </p> + <p> + Said Gudrun, "By what token tellest thou that?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "His mother went amid the dead, and found Sigmund the + king sore wounded, and would bind up his hurts; but he said he grew over + old for war, and bade her lay this comfort to her heart, that she should + bear the most famed of sons; and wise was the wise man's word therein: for + after the death of King Sigmund, she went to King Alf, and there was + Sigurd nourished in great honour, and day by day he wrought some deed of + fame, and is the man most renowned of all the wide world." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "From love hast thou gained these tidings of him; but for + this cause came I here, to tell thee dreams of mine which have brought me + great grief." + </p> + <p> + Says Brynhild, "Let not such matters sadden thee; abide with thy friends + who wish thee blithesome, all of them!" + </p> + <p> + "This I dreamed," said Gudrun, "that we went, a many of us in company, + from the bower, and we saw an exceeding great hart, that far excelled all + other deer ever seen, and the hair of him was golden; and this deer we + were all fain to take, but I alone got him; and he seemed to me better + than all things else; but sithence thou, Byrnhild, didst shoot and slay my + deer even at my very knees, and such grief was that to me that scarce + might I bear it; and then afterwards thou gavest me a wolf-cub, which + besprinkled me with the blood of my brethren." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "I will arede thy dream, even as things shall come to + pass hereafter; for Sigurd shall come to thee, even he whom I have chosen + for my well-beloved; and Grimhild shall give him mead mingled with hurtful + things, which shall cast us all into mighty strife. Him shalt thou have, + and him shalt thou quickly miss; and Atli the king shalt thou wed; and thy + brethren shalt thou lose, and slay Atli withal in the end." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Grief and woe to know that such things shall be!" + </p> + <p> + And therewith she and hers get them gone home to King Giuki. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0026" id="link2HCH0026"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVI. Sigurd comes to the Giukings and is wedded to Gudrun. + </h2> + <p> + Now Sigurd goes his ways with all that great treasure, and in friendly + wise he departs from them; and on Grani he rides with all his war-gear and + the burden withal; and thus he rides until he comes to the hall of King + Giuki; there he rides into the burg, and that sees one of the king's men, + and he spake withal— + </p> + <p> + "Sure it may be deemed that here is come one of the Gods, for his array is + all done with gold, and his horse is far mightier than other horses, and + the manner of his weapons is most exceeding goodly, and most of all the + man himself far excels all other men ever seen." + </p> + <p> + So the king goes out with his court and greets the man, and asks— + </p> + <p> + "Who art thou who thus ridest into my burg, as none has durst hitherto + without the leave of my sons?" + </p> + <p> + He answered, "I am called Sigurd, son of King Sigmund." + </p> + <p> + Then said King Giuki, "Be thou welcome here then, and take at our hands + whatso thou willest." + </p> + <p> + So he went into the king's hall, and all men seemed little beside him, and + all men served him, and there he abode in great joyance. + </p> + <p> + Now oft they all ride abroad together, Sigurd and Gunnar and Hogni, and + ever is Sigurd far the foremost of them, mighty men of their hands though + they were. + </p> + <p> + But Grimhild finds how heartily Sigurd loved Brynhild, and how oft he + talks of her; and she falls to thinking how well it were, if he might + abide there and wed the daughter of King Giuki, for she saw that none + might come anigh to his goodliness, and what faith and goodhelp there was + in him, and how that he had more wealth withal than folk might tell of any + man; and the king did to him even as unto his own sons, and they for their + parts held him of more worth than themselves. + </p> + <p> + So on a night as they sat at the drink, the queen arose, and went before + Sigurd, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Great joy we have in thine abiding here, and all good things will we put + before thee to take of us; lo now, take this horn and drink thereof." + </p> + <p> + So he took it and drank, and therewithal she said, "Thy father shall be + Giuki the king, and I shall be thy mother, and Gunnar and Hogni shall be + thy brethren, and all this shall be sworn with oaths each to each; and + then surely shall the like of you never be found on earth." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd took her speech well, for with the drinking of that drink all + memory of Brynhild departed from him. So there he abode awhile. + </p> + <p> + And on a day went Grimhild to Giuki the king, and cast her arms about his + neck, and spake— + </p> + <p> + "Behold, there has now come to us the greatest of great hearts that the + world holds; and needs must he be trusty and of great avail; give him thy + daughter then, with plenteous wealth, and as much of rule as he will; + perchance thereby he will be well content to abide here ever." + </p> + <p> + The king answered, "Seldom does it befall that kings offer their daughters + to any; yet in higher wise will it be done to offer her to this man, than + to take lowly prayers for her from others." + </p> + <p> + On a night Gudrun pours out the drink, and Sigurd beholds her how fair she + is and how full of all courtesy. + </p> + <p> + Five seasons Sigurd abode there, and ever they passed their days together + in good honour and friendship. + </p> + <p> + And so it befell that the kings held talk together, and Giuki said — + </p> + <p> + "Great good thou givest us, Sigurd, and with exceeding strength thou + strengthenest our realm." + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar said, "All things that may be will we do for thee, so thou + abidest here long; both dominion shalt thou have, and our sister freely + and unprayed for, whom another man would not get for all his prayers." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd says, "Thanks have ye for this wherewith ye honour me, and gladly + will I take the same." + </p> + <p> + Therewith they swore brotherhood together, and to be even as if they were + children of one father and one mother; and a noble feast was holden, and + endured many days, and Sigurd drank at the wedding of him and Gudrun; and + there might men behold all manner of game and glee, and each day the feast + better and better. + </p> + <p> + Now fare these folk wide over the world, and do many great deeds, and slay + many kings' sons, and no man has ever done such works of prowess as did + they; then home they come again with much wealth won in war. + </p> + <p> + Sigurd gave of the serpent's heart to Gudrun, and she ate thereof, and + became greater-hearted, and wiser than ere before: and the son of these + twain was called Sigmund. + </p> + <p> + Now on a time went Grimhild to Gunnar her son, and spake— + </p> + <p> + "Fair blooms the life and fortune of thee, but for one thing only, and + namely whereas thou art unwedded; go woo Brynhild; good rede is this, and + Sigurd will ride with thee." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar answered, "Fair is she certes, and I am fain enow to win her;" and + therewith he tells his father, and his brethren, and Sigurd, and they all + prick him on to that wooing. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0027" id="link2HCH0027"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVII. The Wooing of Brynhild. + </h2> + <p> + Now they array them joyously for their journey, and ride over hill and + dale to the house of King Budli, and woo his daughter of him; in a good + wise he took their speech, if so be that she herself would not deny them; + but he said withal that so high-minded was she, that that man only might + wed her whom she would. + </p> + <p> + Then they ride to Hlymdale, and there Heimir gave them good welcome; so + Gunnar tells his errand; Heimir says, that she must needs wed but him whom + she herself chose freely; and tells them how her abode was but a little + way thence, and that he deemed that him only would she have who should + ride through the flaming fire that was drawn round about her hall; so they + depart and come to the hall and the fire, and see there a castle with a + golden roof-ridge, and all round about a fire roaring up. + </p> + <p> + Now Gunnar rode on Goti, but Hogni on Holkvi, and Gunnar smote his horse + to face the fire, but he shrank aback. + </p> + <p> + Then said Sigurd, "Why givest thou back, Gunnar?" + </p> + <p> + He answered, "The horse will not tread this fire; but lend me thy horse + Grani." + </p> + <p> + "Yea, with all my good will," says Sigurd. + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar rides him at the fire, and yet nowise will Gram stir, nor may + Gunnar any the more ride through that fire. So now they change semblance, + Gunnar and Sigurd, even as Grimhild had taught them; then Sigurd in the + likeness of Gunnar mounts and rides, Gram in his hand, and golden spurs on + his heels; then leapt Grani into the fire when he felt the spurs; and a + mighty roar arose as the fire burned ever madder, and the earth trembled, + and the flames went up even unto the heavens, nor had any dared to ride as + he rode, even as it were through the deep mirk. + </p> + <p> + But now the fire sank withal, and he leapt from his horse and went into + the hall, even as the song says— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "The flame flared at its maddest, + Earth's fields fell a-quaking + As the red flame aloft + Licked the lowest of heaven. + Few had been fain, + Of the rulers of folk, + To ride through that flame, + Or athwart it to tread. + + "Then Sigurd smote + Grani with sword, + And the flame was slaked + Before the king; + Low lay the flames + Before the fain of fame; + Bright gleamed the array + That Regin erst owned. +</pre> + <p> + Now when Sigurd had passed through the fire, he came into a certain fair + dwelling, and therein sat Brynhild. + </p> + <p> + She asked, "What man is it?" + </p> + <p> + Then he named himself Gunnar, son of Giuki, and said—"Thou art + awarded to me as my wife, by the good will and word of thy father and thy + foster-father, and I have ridden through the flames of thy fire, according + to thy word that thou hast set forth." + </p> + <p> + "I wot not clearly," said she, "how I shall answer thee." + </p> + <p> + Now Sigurd stood upright on the hall floor, and leaned on the hilt of his + sword, and he spake to Brynhild— + </p> + <p> + "In reward thereof, shall I pay thee a great dower in gold and goodly + things?" + </p> + <p> + She answered in heavy mood from her seat, whereas she sat like unto swan + on billow, having a sword in her hand, and a helm on her head, and being + clad in a byrny, "O Gunnar," she says, "speak not to me of such things, + unless thou be the first and best of all men; for then shalt thou slay + those my wooers, if thou hast heart thereto; I have been in battles with + the king of the Greeks, and our weapons were stained with red blood, and + for such things still I yearn." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Yea, certes many great deeds hast thou done; but yet call + thou to mind thine oath, concerning the riding through of this fire, + wherein thou didst swear that thou wouldst go with the man who should do + this deed." + </p> + <p> + So she found that he spoke but the sooth, and she paid heed to his words, + and arose, and greeted him meetly, and he abode there three nights, and + they lay in one bed together; but he took the sword Gram and laid it + betwixt them: then she asked him why he laid it there; and he answered, + that in that wise must he needs wed his wife or else get his bane. + </p> + <p> + Then she took from off her the ring Andvari's-loom, which he had given her + aforetime, and gave it to him, but he gave her another ring out of + Fafnir's hoard. + </p> + <p> + Thereafter he rode away through the same fire unto his fellows, and he and + Gunnar changed semblances again, and rode unto Hlymdale, and told how it + had gone with them. + </p> + <p> + That same day went Brynhild home to her foster-father, and tells him as + one whom she trusted, how that there had come a king to her; "And he rode + through my flaming fire, and said he was come to woo me, and named himself + Gunnar; but I said that such a deed might Sigurd alone have done, with + whom I plighted troth on the mountain; and he is my first troth-plight, + and my well-beloved." + </p> + <p> + Heimir said that things must needs abide even as now they had now come to + pass. + </p> + <p> + Brynhild said, "Aslaug the daughter of me and Sigurd shall be nourished + here with thee." + </p> + <p> + Now the kings fare home, but Brynhild goes to her father; Grimhild + welcomes the kings meetly, and thanks Sigurd for his fellowship; and + withal is a great feast made, and many were the guests thereat; and + thither came Budli the King with his daughter Brynhild, and his son Atli, + and for many days did the feast endure: and at that feast was Gunnar + wedded to Brynhild: but when it was brought to an end, once more has + Sigurd memory of all the oaths that he sware unto Brynhild, yet withal he + let all things abide in rest and peace. + </p> + <p> + Brynhild and Gunnar sat together in great game and glee, and drank goodly + wine. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0028" id="link2HCH0028"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVIII. How the Queens held angry converse together at the + Bathing. + </h2> + <p> + On a day as the Queens went to the river to bathe them, Brynhild waded the + farthest out into the river; then asked Gudrun what that deed might + signify. + </p> + <p> + Brynhild said, "Yea, and why then should I be equal to thee in this matter + more than in others? I am minded to think that my father is mightier than + thine, and my true love has wrought many wondrous works of fame, and hath + ridden the flaming fire withal, while thy husband was but the thrall of + King Hjalprek." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answered full of wrath, "Thou wouldst be wise if thou shouldst hold + thy peace rather than revile my husband: lo now, the talk of all men it + is, that none has ever abode in this world like unto him in all matters + soever; and little it beseems thee of all folk to mock him who was thy + first beloved: and Fafnir he slew, yea, and he rode thy flaming fire, + whereas thou didst deem that he was Gunnar the King, and by thy side he + lay, and took from thine hand the ring Andvari's-loom;—here mayst + thou well behold it!" + </p> + <p> + Then Brynhild saw the ring and knew it, and waxed as wan as a dead woman, + and she went home and spake no word the evening long. + </p> + <p> + So when Sigurd came to bed to Gudrun she asked him why Brynhild's joy was + so departed. + </p> + <p> + He answered, "I know not, but sore I misdoubt me that soon we shall know + thereof overwell." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun said, "Why may she not love her life, having wealth and bliss, and + the praise of all men, and the man withal that she would have?" + </p> + <p> + "Ah, yea!" said Sigurd, "and where in all the world was she then, when she + said that she deemed she had the noblest of all men, and the dearest to + her heart of all?" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Tomorn will I ask her concerning this, who is the liefest + to her of all men for a husband." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "Needs must I forbid thee this, and full surely wilt thou rue + the deed if thou doest it." + </p> + <p> + Now the next morning they sat in the bower, and Brynhild was silent; then + spake Gudrun— + </p> + <p> + "Be merry, Brynhild! Grievest thou because of that speech of ours + together, or what other thing slayeth thy bliss?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "With naught but evil intent thou sayest this, for a + cruel heart thou hast." + </p> + <p> + "Say not so," said Gudrun; "but rather tell me all the tale." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Ask such things only as are good for thee to know—matters + meet for mighty dames. Good to love good things when all goes according to + thy heart's desire!" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "Early days for me to glory in that; but this word of thine + looketh toward some foreseeing. What ill dost thou thrust at us? I did + naught to grieve thee." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "For this shalt thou pay, in that thou hast got Sigurd + to thee,—nowise can I see thee living in the bliss thereof, whereas + thou hast him, and the wealth and the might of him." + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun answered, "Naught knew I of your words and vows together; and + well might my father look to the mating of me without dealing with thee + first." + </p> + <p> + "No secret speech had we," quoth Brynhild, "though we swore oath together; + and full well didst thou know that thou wentest about to beguile me; + verily thou shalt have thy reward!" + </p> + <p> + Says Gudrun, "Thou art mated better than thou are worthy of; but thy pride + and rage shall be hard to slake belike, and therefor shall many a man + pay." + </p> + <p> + "Ah, I should be well content," said Brynhild, "if thou hadst not the + nobler man!" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "So noble a husband hast thou, that who knows of a greater + king or a lord of more wealth and might?" + </p> + <p> + Says Brynhild, "Sigurd slew Fafnir, and that only deed is of more worth + than all the might of King Gunnar." + </p> + <p> + (Even as the song says): + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "The worm Sigurd slew, + Nor e'er shall that deed + Be worsened by age + While the world is alive: + But thy brother the King + Never durst, never bore + The flame to ride down + Through the fire to fare." +</pre> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Grani would not abide the fire under Gunnar the King, but + Sigurd durst the deed, and thy heart may well abide without mocking him." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Nowise will I hide from thee that I deem no good of + Grimhild." + </p> + <p> + Says Gudrun, "Nay, lay no ill words on her, for in all things she is to + thee as to her own daughter." + </p> + <p> + "Ah," says Brynhild, "she is the beginning of all this hale that biteth + so; an evil drink she bare to Sigurd, so that he had no more memory of my + very name." + </p> + <p> + "All wrong thou talkest; a lie without measure is this," quoth Gudrun. + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "Have thou joy of Sigurd according to the measure of + the wiles wherewith ye have beguiled me! Unworthily have ye conspired + against me; may all things go with you as my heart hopes!" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "More joy shall I have of him than thy wish would give unto + me: but to no man's mind it came, that he had aforetime his pleasure of + me; nay not once." + </p> + <p> + "Evil speech thou speakest," says Brynhild; "when thy wrath runs off thou + wilt rue it; but come now, let us no more cast angry words one at the + other!" + </p> + <p> + Says Gudrun, "Thou wert the first to cast such words at me, and now thou + makest as if thou wouldst amend it, but a cruel and hard heart abides + behind." + </p> + <p> + "Let us lay aside vain babble," says Brynhild. "Long did I hold my peace + concerning my sorrow of heart, and, lo now, thy brother alone do I love; + let us fall to other talk." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun said, "Far beyond all this doth thine heart look." + </p> + <p> + And so ugly ill befell from that going to the river, and that knowing of + the ring, wherefrom did all their talk arise. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0029" id="link2HCH0029"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIX. Of Brynhild's great Grief and Mourning. + </h2> + <p> + After this talk Brynhild lay a-bed, and tidings were brought to King + Gunnar that Brynhild was sick; he goes to see her thereon, and asks what + ails her; but she answered him naught, but lay there as one dead: and when + he was hard on her for an answer, she said— + </p> + <p> + "What didst thou with that ring that I gave thee, even the one which King + Budli gave me at our last parting, when thou and King Giuki came to him + and threatened fire and the sword, unless ye had me to wife? Yea, at that + time he led me apart, and asked me which I had chosen of those who were + come; but I prayed him that I might abide to ward the land and be chief + over the third part of his men; then were there two choices for me to deal + betwixt, either that I should be wedded to him whom he would, or lose all + my weal and friendship at his hands; and he said withal that his + friendship would be better to me than his wrath: then I bethought me + whether I should yield to his will, or slay many a man; and therewithal I + deemed that it would avail little to strive with him, and so it fell out, + that I promised to wed whomsoever should ride the horse Grani with + Fafnir's Hoard, and ride through my flaming fire, and slay those men whom + I called on him to slay, and now so it was, that none durst ride, save + Sigurd only, because he lacked no heart thereto; yea, and the Worm he + slew, and Regin, and five kings beside; but thou, Gunnar, durst do naught; + as pale as a dead man didst thou wax, and no king thou art, and no + champion; so whereas I made a vow unto my father, that him alone would I + love who was the noblest man alive, and that this is none save Sigurd, lo, + now have I broken my oath and brought it to naught, since he is none of + mine, and for this cause shall I compass thy death; and a great reward of + evil things have I wherewith to reward Grimhild;—never, I wot, has + woman lived eviler or of lesser heart than she." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar answered in such wise that few might hear him, "Many a vile word + hast thou spoken, and an evil-hearted woman art thou, whereas thou + revilest a woman far better than thou; never would she curse her life as + thou dost; nay, nor has she tormented dead folk, or murdered any; but + lives her life well praised of all." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "Never have I dwelt with evil things privily, or done + loathsome deeds;—yet most fain I am to slay thee." + </p> + <p> + And therewith would she slay King Gunnar, but Hogni laid her in fetters; + but then Gunnar spake withal— + </p> + <p> + "Nay, I will not that she abide in fetters." + </p> + <p> + Then said she, "Heed it not! For never again seest thou me glad in thine + hall, never drinking, never at the chess-play, never speaking the words of + kindness, never over-laying the fair cloths with gold, never giving thee + good counsel;—ah, my sorrow of heart that I might not get Sigurd to + me!" + </p> + <p> + Then she sat up and smote her needlework, and rent it asunder, and bade + set open her bower doors, that far away might the wailings of her sorrow + be heard; then great mourning and lamentation there was, so that folk + heard it far and wide through that abode. + </p> + <p> + Now Gudrun asked her bower-maidens why they sat so joyless and downcast. + "What has come to you, that ye fare ye as witless women, or what + unheard-of wonders have befallen you?" + </p> + <p> + Then answered a waiting lady, hight Swaflod, "An untimely, an evil day it + is, and our hall is fulfilled of lamentation." + </p> + <p> + Then spake Gudrun to one of her handmaids, "Arise, for we have slept long; + go, wake Brynhild, and let us fall to our needlework and be merry." + </p> + <p> + "Nay, nay," she says, "nowise may I wake her, or talk with her; for many + days has she drunk neither mead nor wine; surely the wrath of the Gods has + fallen upon her." + </p> + <p> + Then spake Gudrun to Gunnar, "Go and see her," she says, "and bid her know + that I am grieved with her grief." + </p> + <p> + "Nay," says Gunnar, "I am forbid to go see her or to share her weal." + </p> + <p> + Nevertheless he went unto her, and strives in many wise to have speech of + her, but gets no answer whatsoever; therefore he gets him gone and finds + Hogni, and bids him go see her: he said he was loth thereto, but went, and + gat no more of her. + </p> + <p> + Then they go and find Sigurd, and pray him to visit her; he answered + naught thereto, and so matters abode for that night. + </p> + <p> + But the next day, when he came home from hunting, Sigurd went to Gudrun, + and spake— + </p> + <p> + "In such wise do matters show to me, as though great and evil things will + betide from this trouble and upheaving; and that Brynhild will surely + die." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "O my lord, by great wonders is she encompassed, seven + days and seven nights has she slept, and none has dared wake her." + </p> + <p> + "Nay, she sleeps not," said Sigurd, "her heart is dealing rather with + dreadful intent against me." + </p> + <p> + Then said Gudrun, weeping, "Woe worth the while for thy death! Go and see + her; and wot if her fury may not be abated; give her gold, and smother up + her grief and anger therewith!" + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd went out, and found the door of Brynhild's chamber open; he + deemed she slept, and drew the clothes from off her, and said— + </p> + <p> + "Awake, Brynhild! The sun shineth now over all the house, and thou hast + slept enough; cast off grief from thee, and take up gladness!" + </p> + <p> + She said, "And how then hast thou dared to come to me? in this treason + none was worse to me than thou." + </p> + <p> + Said Sigurd, "Why wilt thou not speak to folk? for what cause sorrowest + thou?" + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Ah, to thee will I tell of my wrath!" + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "As one under a spell art thou, if thou deemest that there is + aught cruel in my heart against thee; but thou hast him for husband whom + thou didst choose." + </p> + <p> + "Ah, nay," she said, "never did Gunnar ride through the fire to me, nor + did he give me to dower the host of the slain: I wondered at the man who + came into my hall; for I deemed indeed that I knew thine eyes; but I might + not see clearly, or divide the good from the evil, because of the veil + that lay heavy on my fortune." + </p> + <p> + Says Sigurd, "No nobler men are there than the sons of Giuki, they slew + the king of the Danes, and that great chief, the brother of King Budli." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, "Surely for many an ill-deed must I reward them; mind + me not of my griefs against them! But thou, Sigurd, slewest the Worm, and + rodest the fire through; yea, and for my sake, and not one of the sons of + King Giuki." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answers, "I am not thy husband, and thou art not my wife; yet did a + farfamed king pay dower to thee." + </p> + <p> + Says Brynhild, "Never looked I at Gunnar in such a wise that my heart + smiled on him; and hard and fell am I to him, though I hide it from + others." + </p> + <p> + "A marvellous thing," says Sigurd, "not to love such a king; what angers + thee most? for surely his love should be better to thee than gold." + </p> + <p> + "This is the sorest sorrow to me," she said, "that the bitter sword is not + reddened in thy blood." + </p> + <p> + "Have no fear thereof!" says he, "no long while to wait or the bitter + sword stand deep in my heart; and no worse needest thou to pray for + thyself, for thou wilt not live when I am dead; the days of our two lives + shall be few enough from henceforth." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Enough and to spare of bale is in thy speech, since + thou bewrayedst me, and didst twin (1) me and all bliss;—naught do I + heed my life or death." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd answers, "Ah, live, and love King Gunnar and me withal! and all my + wealth will I give thee if thou die not." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answers, "Thou knowest me not, nor the heart that is in me; for + thou art the first and best of all men, and I am become the most loathsome + of all women to thee." + </p> + <p> + "This is truer," says Sigurd, "that I loved thee better than myself, + though I fell into the wiles from whence our lives may not escape; for + whenso my own heart and mind availed me, then I sorrowed sore that thou + wert not my wife; but as I might I put my trouble from me, for in a king's + dwelling was I; and withal and in spite of all I was well content that we + were all together. Well may it be, that that shall come to pass which is + foretold; neither shall I fear the fulfilment thereof." + </p> + <p> + Brynhild answered, and said, "Too late thou tellest me that my grief + grieved thee: little pity shall I find now." + </p> + <p> + Sigurd said, "This my heart would, that thou and I should go into one bed + together; even so wouldst thou be my wife." + </p> + <p> + Said Brynhild, "Such words may nowise be spoken, nor will I have two kings + in one hall; I will lay my life down rather than beguile Gunnar the King." + </p> + <p> + And therewith she call to mind how they met, they two, on the mountain, + and swore oath each to each. + </p> + <p> + "But now is all changed, and I will not live." + </p> + <p> + "I might not call to mind thy name," said Sigurd, "or know thee again, + before the time of thy wedding; the greatest of all griefs is that." + </p> + <p> + Then said Brynhild, "I swore an oath to wed the man who should ride my + flaming fire, and that oath will I hold to, or die." + </p> + <p> + "Rather than thou die, I will wed thee, and put away Gudrun," said Sigurd. + </p> + <p> + But therewithal so swelled the heart betwixt the sides of him, that the + rings of his byrny burst asunder. + </p> + <p> + "I will not have thee," says Brynhild, "nay, nor any other!" + </p> + <p> + Then Sigurd got him gone. + </p> + <p> + So saith the song of Sigurd— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Out then went Sigurd, + The great kings' well-loved, + From the speech and the sorrow, + Sore drooping, so grieving, + That the shirt round about him + Of iron rings woven, + From the sides brake asunder + Of the brave in the battle." +</pre> + <p> + So when Sigurd came into the hall, Gunnar asked if he had come to a + knowledge of what great grief lay heavy on her, or if she had power of + speech: and Sigurd said that she lacked it not. So now Gunnar goes to her + again, and asked her, what wrought her woe, or if there were anything that + might amend it. + </p> + <p> + "I will not live," says Brynhild, "for Sigurd has bewrayed me, yea, and + thee no less, whereas thou didst suffer him to come into my bed: lo thou, + two men in one dwelling I will not have; and this shall be Sigurd's death, + or thy death, or my death;—for now has he told Gudrun all, and she + is mocking me even now!" + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Sunder. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0030" id="link2HCH0030"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXX. Of the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + </h2> + <p> + Thereafter Brynhild went out, and sat under her bower-wall, and had many + words of wailing to say, and still she cried that all things were + loathsome to her, both land and lordship alike, so she might not have + Sigurd. + </p> + <p> + But therewith came Gunnar to her yet again, and Brynhild spake, "Thou + shalt lose both realm and wealth, and thy life and me, for I shall fare + home to my kin, and abide there in sorrow, unless thou slayest Sigurd and + his son; never nourish thou a wolfcub." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar grew sick at heart thereat, and might nowise see what fearful thing + lay beneath it all; he was bound to Sigurd by oath, and this way and that + way swung the heart within him; but at the last he bethought him of the + measureless shame if his wife went from him, and he said within himself, + "Brynhild is better to me than all things else, and the fairest woman of + all women, and I will lay down my life rather than lose the love of her." + And herewith he called to him his brother and spake,— + </p> + <p> + "Trouble is heavy on me," and he tells him that he must needs slay Sigurd, + for that he has failed him where in he trusted him; "so let us be lords of + the gold and the realm withal." + </p> + <p> + Hogni answers, "Ill it behoves us to break our oaths with wrack and wrong, + and withal great aid we have in him; no kings shall be as great as we, if + so be the King of the Hun-folk may live; such another brother-in-law never + may we get again; bethink thee how good it is to have such a + brother-in-law, and such sons to our sister! But well I see how things + stand, for this has Brynhild stirred thee up to, and surely shall her + counsel drag us into huge shame and scathe." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar says, "Yet shall it be brought about: and, lo, a rede thereto;—let + us egg on our brother Guttorm to the deed; he is young, and of little + knowledge, and is clean out of all the oaths moreover." + </p> + <p> + "Ah, set about in ill wise," says Hogni, "and though indeed it may well be + compassed, a due reward shall we gain for the bewrayal of such a man as is + Sigurd." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar says, "Sigurd shall die, or I shall die." + </p> + <p> + And therewith he bids Brynhild arise and be glad at heart: so she arose, + and still ever she said that Gunnar should come no more into her bed till + the deed was done. + </p> + <p> + So the brothers fall to talk, and Gunnar says that it is a deed well + worthy of death, that taking of Brynhild's maidenhead; "So come now, let + us prick on Guttorm to do the deed." + </p> + <p> + Therewith they call him to them, and offer him gold and great dominion, as + they well have might to do. Yea, and they took a certain worm and somewhat + of wolf's flesh and let seethe them together, and gave him to eat of the + same, even as the singer sings— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Fish of the wild-wood, + Worm smooth crawling, + With wolf-meat mingled, + They minced for Guttorm; + Then in the beaker, + In the wine his mouth knew, + They set it, still doing + More deeds of wizards. +</pre> + <p> + Wherefore with the eating of this meat he grew so wild and eager, and with + all things about him, and with the heavy words of Grimhild, that he gave + his word to do the deed; and mighty honour they promised him in reward + thereof. + </p> + <p> + But of these evil wiles naught at all knew Sigurd, for he might not deal + with his shapen fate, nor the measure of his life-days, neither deemed he + that he was worthy of such things at their hands. + </p> + <p> + So Guttorm went in to Sigurd the next morning as he lay upon his bed, yet + durst he not do aught against him, but shrank back out again; yea, and + even so he fared a second time, for so bright and eager were the eyes of + Sigurd that few durst look upon him. But the third time he went in, and + there lay Sigurd asleep; then Guttorm drew his sword and thrust Sigurd + through in such wise that the sword point smote into the bed beneath him; + then Sigurd awoke with that wound, and Guttorm gat him unto the door; but + therewith Sigurd caught up the sword Gram, and cast it after him, and it + smote him on the back, and struck him asunder in the midst, so that the + feet of him fell one way, and the head and hands back into the chamber. + </p> + <p> + Now Gudrun lay asleep on Sigurd's bosom, but she woke up unto woe that may + not be told of, all swimming in the blood of him, and in such wise did she + bewail her with weeping and words of sorrow, that Sigurd rose up on the + bolster, and spake. + </p> + <p> + "Weep not," said he, "for thy brothers live for thy delight; but a young + son have I, too young to be ware of his foes; and an ill turn have these + played against their own fortune; for never will they get a mightier + brother-in-law to ride abroad with them; nay, nor a better son to their + sister, than this one, if he may grow to man's estate. Lo, now is that + come to pass which was foretold me long ago, but from mine eyes has it + been hidden, for none may fight against his fate and prevail. Behold this + has Brynhild brought to pass, even she who loves me before all men; but + this may I swear, that never have I wrought ill to Gunnar, but rather have + ever held fast to my oath with him, nor was I ever too much a friend to + his wife. And now if I had been forewarned, and had been afoot with my + weapons, then should many a man have lost his life or ever I had fallen, + and all those brethren should have been slain, and a harder work would the + slaying of me have been than the slaying of the mightiest bull or the + mightiest boar of the wild-wood." + </p> + <p> + And even therewithal life left the King; but Gudrun moaned and drew a + weary breath, and Brynhild heard it, and laughed when she heard her + moaning. + </p> + <p> + Then said Gunnar, "Thou laughest not because thy heart-roots are + gladdened, or else why doth thy visage wax so wan? Sure an evil creature + thou art; most like thou art nigh to thy death! Lo now, how meet would it + be for thee to behold thy brother Atli slain before thine eyes, and that + thou shouldst stand over him dead; whereas we must needs now stand over + our brother-in-law in such a case, our brother-in-law and our brother's + bane." + </p> + <p> + She answered, "None need mock at the measure of slaughter being + unfulfilled; yet heedeth not Atli your wrath or your threats; yea, he + shall live longer than ye, and be a mightier man." + </p> + <p> + Hogni spake and said, "Now hath come to pass the soothsaying of Brynhild; + an ill work not to be atoned for." + </p> + <p> + And Gudrun said, "My kinsmen have slain my husband; but ye, when ye next + ride to the war and are come into the battle, then shall ye look about and + see that Sigurd is neither on the right hand nor the left, and ye shall + know that he was your good-hap and your strength; and if he had lived and + had sons, then should ye have been strengthened by his offspring and his + kin." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0031" id="link2HCH0031"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXI. Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd dead, as it is told + told in ancient Songs. (1) + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Gudrun of old days + Drew near to dying + As she sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Yet she sighed not + Nor smote hand on hand, + Nor wailed she aught + As other women. + + Then went earls to her. + Full of all wisdom, + Fain help to deal + To her dreadful heart: + Hushed was Gudrun + Of wail, or greeting, + But with a heavy woe + Was her heart a-breaking. + + Bright and fair + Sat the great earls' brides, + Gold arrayed + Before Gudrun; + Each told the tale + Of her great trouble, + The bitterest bale + She erst abode. + + Then spake Giaflaug, + Giuki's sister: + "Lo upon earth + I live most loveless + Who of five mates + Must see the ending, + Of daughters twain + And three sisters, + Of brethren eight, + And abide behind lonely." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail and greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Herborg + Queen of Hunland— + "Crueller tale + Have I to tell of, + Of my seven sons + Down in the Southlands, + And the eighth man, my mate, + Felled in the death-mead. + + "Father and mother, + And four brothers, + On the wide sea + The winds and death played with; + The billows beat + On the bulwark boards. + + "Alone must I sing o'er them, + Alone must I array them, + Alone must my hands deal with + Their departing; + And all this was + In one season's wearing, + And none was left + For love or solace. + + "Then was I bound + A prey of the battle, + When that same season + Wore to its ending; + As a tiring may + Must I bind the shoon + Of the duke's high dame, + Every day at dawning. + + "From her jealous hate + Gat I heavy mocking, + Cruel lashes + She laid upon me, + Never met I + Better master + Or mistress worser + In all the wide world." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail or greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter— + "O foster-mother, + Wise as thou mayst be, + Naught canst thou better + The young wife's bale." + And she bade uncover + The dead King's corpse. + + She swept the sheet + Away from Sigurd, + And turned his cheek + Towards his wife's knees— + "Look on thy loved one + Lay lips to his lips, + E'en as thou wert clinging + To thy king alive yet!" + + Once looked Gudrun— + One look only, + And saw her lord's locks + Lying all bloody, + The great man's eyes + Glazed and deadly, + And his heart's bulwark + Broken by sword-edge. + + Back then sank Gudrun, + Back on the bolster, + Loosed was her head array, + Red did her cheeks grow, + And the rain-drops ran + Down over her knees. + + Then wept Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + So that the tears flowed + Through the pillow; + As the geese withal + That were in the homefield, + The fair fowls the may owned, + Fell a-screaming. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter— + "Surely knew I + No love like your love + Among all men, + On the mould abiding; + Naught wouldst thou joy in + Without or within doors, + O my sister, + Save beside Sigurd." + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter— + "Such was my Sigurd + Among the sons of Giuki, + As is the king leek + O'er the low grass waxing, + Or a bright stone + Strung on band, + Or a pearl of price + On a prince's brow. + + "Once was I counted + By the king's warriors + Higher than any + Of Herjan's mays; + Now am I as little + As the leaf may be, + Amid wind-swept wood + Now when dead he lieth. + + I miss from my seat, + I miss from my bed, + My darling of sweet speech. + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + This sore sorrow, + Yea, for their sister, + Most sore sorrow. + + "So may your lands + Lie waste on all sides, + As ye have broken + Your bounden oaths! + Ne'er shalt thou, Gunnar, + The gold have joy of; + The dear-bought rings + Shall drag thee to death, + Whereon thou swarest + Oath unto Sigurd. + + Ah, in the days by-gone + Great mirth in the homefield + When my Sigurd + Set saddle on Grani, + And they went their ways + For the wooing of Brynhild! + An ill day, an ill woman, + And most ill hap!" + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter— + "May the woman lack + Both love and children, + Who gained greeting + For thee, O Gudrun! + Who gave thee this morning + Many words!" + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter— + "Hold peace of such words + Thou hated of all folk! + The bane of brave men + Hast thou been ever, + All waves of ill + Wash over thy mind, + To seven great kings + Hast thou been a sore sorrow, + And the death of good will + To wives and women." + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter— + "None but Atli + Brought bale upon us, + My very brother + Born of Budli. + + When we saw in the hall + Of the Hunnish people + The gold a-gleaming + On the kingly Giukings; + I have paid for that faring + Oft and full, + And for the sight + That then I saw." + + By a pillar she stood + And strained its wood to her; + From the eyes of Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Flashed out fire, + And she snorted forth venom, + As the sore wounds she gazed on + Of the dead-slain Sigurd. +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is the Eddaic poem, called the first Lay of + Gudrun, inserted here by the translators. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0032" id="link2HCH0032"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXII. Of the Ending of Brynhild. + </h2> + <h3> + And now none might know for what cause Brynhild must bewail with weeping + for what she had prayed for with laughter: but she spake— + </h3> + <p> + "Such a dream I had, Gunnar, as that my bed was acold, and that thou didst + ride into the hands of thy foes: lo now, ill shall it go with thee and all + thy kin, O ye breakers of oaths; for on the day thou slayedst him, dimly + didst thou remember how thou didst blend thy blood with the blood of + Sigurd, and with an ill reward hast thou rewarded him for all that he did + well to thee; whereas he gave unto thee to be the mightiest of men; and + well was it proven how fast he held to his oath sworn, when he came to me + and laid betwixt us the sharp-edged sword that in venom had been made + hard. All too soon did ye fall to working wrong against him and against + me, whenas I abode at home with my father, and had all that I would, and + had no will that any one of you should be any of mine, as ye rode into our + garth, ye three kings together; but then Atli led me apart privily, and + asked me if I would not have him who rode Grani; yea, a man nowise like + unto you; but in those days I plighted myself to the son of King Sigmund + and no other; and lo, now, no better shall ye fare for the death of me." + </p> + <p> + Then rose up Gunnar, and laid his arms about her neck, and besought her to + live and have wealth from him; and all others in likewise letted her from + dying; but she thrust them all from her, and said that it was not the part + of any to let her in that which was her will. + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar called to Hogni, and prayed him for counsel, and bade him go + to her, and see if he might perchance soften her dreadful heart, saying + withal, that now they had need enough on their hands in the slaking of her + grief, till time might get over. + </p> + <p> + But Hogni answered, "Nay, let no man hinder her from dying; for no gain + will she be to us, nor has she been gainsome since she came hither! + </p> + <p> + Now she bade bring forth much gold, and bade all those come thither who + would have wealth: then she caught up a sword, and thrust it under her + armpit, and sank aside upon the pillows, and said, "Come, take gold whoso + will!" + </p> + <p> + But all held their peace, and she said, "Take the gold, and be glad + thereof!" + </p> + <p> + And therewith she spake unto Gunnar, "Now for a little while will I tell + of that which shall come to pass hereafter; for speedily shall ye be at + one again with Gudrun by the rede of Grimhild the Wise-wife; and the + daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd shall be called Swanhild, the fairest of all + women born. Gudrun shall be given to Atli, yet not with her good will. + Thou shalt be fain to get Oddrun, but that shall Atli forbid thee; but + privily shall ye meet, and much shall she love thee. Atli shall bewray + thee, and cast thee into a worm-close, and thereafter shall Atli and his + sons be slain, and Gudrun shall be their slayer; and afterwards shall the + great waves bear her to the burg of King Jonakr, to whom she shall bear + sons of great fame: Swanhild shall be sent from the land and given to King + Jormunrek; and her shall bite the rede of Bikki, and therewithal is the + kin of you clean gone; and more sorrows therewith for Gudrun. + </p> + <p> + "And now I pray thee, Gunnar, one last boon.—Let make a great bale + on the plain meads for all of us; for me, and for Sigurd, and for those + who were slain with him, and let that be covered over with cloth dyed red + by the folk of the Gauls, (1) and burn me thereon on one side of the King + of the Huns, and on the other those men of mine, two at the head and two + at the feet, and two hawks withal; and even so is all shared equally; and + lay there betwixt us a drawn sword, as in the other days when we twain + stepped into one bed together; and then may we have the name of man and + wife, nor shall the door swing to at the heel of him as I go behind him. + Nor shall that be a niggard company if there follow him those five + bond-women and eight bondmen, whom my father gave me, and those burn there + withal who were slain with Sigurd. + </p> + <p> + "Now more yet would I say, but for my wounds, but my life-breath flits; + the wounds open,—yet have I said sooth." + </p> + <p> + Now is the dead corpse of Sigurd arrayed in olden wise, and a mighty bale + is raised, and when it was somewhat kindled, there was laid thereon the + dead corpse of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and his son of three winters whom + Brynhild had let slay, and Guttorm withal; and when the bale was all + ablaze, thereunto was Brynhild borne out, when she had spoken with her + bower-maidens, and bid them take the gold that she would give; and then + died Brynhild, and was burned there by the side of Sigurd, and thus their + life-days ended. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "raudu manna blodi", red-dyed in the blood + of men; the Sagaman's original error in dealing with the + word "Valaript" in the corresponding passage of the short + lay of Sigurd.—Tr. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0033" id="link2HCH0033"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIII. Gudrun wedded to Atli. + </h2> + <p> + Now so it is, that whoso heareth these tidings sayeth, that no such an one + as was Sigurd was left behind him in the world, nor ever was such a man + brought forth because of all the worth of him, nor may his name ever + minish by eld in the Dutch Tongue nor in all the Northern Lands, while the + world standeth fast. + </p> + <p> + The story tells that, on a day, as Gudrun sat in her bower, she fell to + saying, "Better was life in those days when I had Sigurd; he who was far + above other men as gold is above iron, or the leek over other grass of the + field, or the hart over other wild things; until my brethren begrudged me + such a man, the first and best of all men; and so they might not sleep or + they had slain him. Huge clamour made Grani when he saw his master and + lord sore wounded, and then I spoke to him even as with a man, but he fell + drooping down to the earth, for he knew that Sigurd was slain." + </p> + <p> + Thereafter Gudrun gat her gone into the wild woods, and heard on all ways + round about her the howling of wolves, and deemed death a merrier thing + than life. Then she went till she came to the hall of King Alf, and sat + there in Denmark with Thora, the daughter of Hakon, for seven seasons, and + abode with good welcome. And she set forth her needlework before her, and + did thereinto many deeds and great, and fair plays after the fashion of + those days, swords and byrnies, and all the gear of kings, and the ship of + King Sigmund sailing along the land; yea, and they wrought there, how they + fought, Sigar and Siggeir, south in Fion. Such was their disport; and now + Gudrun was somewhat solaced of her grief. + </p> + <p> + So Grimhild comes to hear where Gudrun has take up her abode, and she + calls her sons to talk with her, and asks whether they will make atonement + to Gudrun for her son and her husband, and said that it was but meet and + right to do so. + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar spake, and said that he would atone for her sorrows with gold. + </p> + <p> + So they send for their friends, and array their horses, their helms, and + their shields, and their byrnies, and all their war-gear; and their + journey was furnished forth in the noblest wise, and no champion who was + of the great men might abide at home; and their horses were clad in + mail-coats, and every knight of them had his helm done over with gold or + with silver. + </p> + <p> + Grimhild was of their company, for she said that their errand would never + be brought fairly to pass if she sat at home. + </p> + <p> + There were well five hundred men, and noble men rode with them. There was + Waldemar of Denmark, and Eymod and Jarisleif withal. So they went into the + hall of King Alf, and there abode them the Longbeards and Franks, and + Saxons: they fared with all their war-gear, and had over them red + fur-coats. Even as the song says— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Byrnies short cut, + Strong helms hammered, + Girt with good swords, + Red hair gleaming." +</pre> + <p> + They were fain to choose good gifts for their sister, and spake softly to + her, but in none of them would she trow. Then Gunnar brought unto her a + drink mingled with hurtful things, and this she must needs drink, and with + the drinking thereof she had no more memory of their guilt against her. + </p> + <p> + But in that drink was blended the might of the earth and the sea with the + blood of her son; and in that horn were all letters cut and reddened with + blood, as is said hereunder— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "On the horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that beer were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood + And brown-burnt acorns, + The black dew of the hearth, + The God-doomed dead beast's inwards, + And the swine's liver sodden + Because all wrongs that deadens. +</pre> + <p> + And so now, when their hearts are brought anigh to each other, great cheer + they made: then came Grimhild to Gudrun, and spake: + </p> + <p> + "All hail to thee, daughter! I give thee gold and all kinds of good things + to take to thee after thy father, dear-bought rings and bed-gear of the + maids of the Huns, the most courteous and well dight of all women; and + thus is thy husband atoned for: and thereafter shalt thou be given to + Atli, the mighty king, and be mistress of all his might. Cast not all thy + friends aside for one man's sake, but do according to our bidding." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun answers, "Never will I wed Atli the King: unseemly it is for us to + get offspring betwixt us." + </p> + <p> + Grimhild says, "Nourish not thy wrath; it shall be to thee as if Sigurd + and Sigmund were alive when thou hast borne sons." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "I cannot take my heart from thoughts of him, for he was the + first of all men." + </p> + <p> + Grimhild says, "So it is shapen that thou must have this king and none + else." + </p> + <p> + Says Gudrun, "Give not this man to me, for an evil thing shall come upon + thy kin from him, and to his own sons shall he deal evil, and be rewarded + with a grim revenge thereafter." + </p> + <p> + Then waxed Grimhild fell at those words, and spake, "Do even as we bid + thee, and take therefore great honour, and our friendship, and the steads + withal called Vinbjorg and Valbjorg." + </p> + <p> + And such might was in the words of her, that even so must it come to pass. + </p> + <p> + Then Gudrun spake, "Thus then must it needs befall, howsoever against the + will of me, and for little joy shall it be and for great grief." + </p> + <p> + Then men leaped on their horses, and their women were set in wains. So + they fared four days a-riding and other four a-shipboard, and yet four + more again by land and road, till at the last they came to a certain + high-built hall; then came to meet Gudrun many folk thronging; and an + exceedingly goodly feast was there made, even as the word had gone between + either kin, and it passed forth in most proud and stately wise. And at + that feast drinks Atli his bridal with Gudrun; but never did her heart + laugh on him, and little sweet and kind was their life together. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0034" id="link2HCH0034"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIV. Atli bids the Giukings to him. + </h2> + <h3> + Now tells the tale that on a night King Atli woke from sleep and spake to + Gudrun— + </h3> + <p> + "Medreamed," said he, "that thou didst thrust me through with a sword." + </p> + <p> + Then Gudrun areded the dream, and said that it betokened fire, whenas folk + dreamed of iron. "It befalls of thy pride belike, in that thou deemest + thyself the first of men." + </p> + <p> + Atli said, "Moreover I dreamed that here waxed two sorb-tree (1) saplings, + and fain I was that they should have no scathe of me; then these were + riven up by the roots and reddened with blood, and borne to the bench, and + I was bidden eat thereof. + </p> + <p> + "Yea, yet again I dreamed that two hawks flew from my hand hungry and + unfed, and fared to hell, and meseemed their hearts were mingled with + honey, and that I ate thereof. + </p> + <p> + "And then again I dreamed that two fair whelps lay before me yelling + aloud, and that the flesh of them I ate, though my will went not with the + eating." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "Nowise good are these dreams, yet shall they come to pass; + surely thy sons are nigh to death, and many heavy things shall fall upon + us." + </p> + <p> + "Yet again I dreamed," said he, "and methought I lay in a bath, and folk + took counsel to slay me." + </p> + <p> + Now these things wear away with time, but in nowise was their life + together fond. + </p> + <p> + Now falls Atli to thinking of where may be gotten that plenteous gold + which Sigurd had owned, but King Gunnar and his brethren were lords + thereof now. + </p> + <p> + Atli was a great king and mighty, wise, and a lord of many men; and now he + falls to counsel with his folk as to the ways of them. He wotted well that + Gunnar and his brethren had more wealth than any others might have, and so + he falls to the rede of sending men to them, and bidding them to a great + feast, and honouring them in diverse wise, and the chief of those + messengers was hight Vingi. + </p> + <p> + Now the queen wots of their conspiring, and misdoubts her that this would + mean some beguiling of her brethren: so she cut runes, and took a gold + ring, and knit therein a wolf's hair, and gave it into the hands of the + king's messengers. + </p> + <p> + Thereafter they go their ways according to the king's bidding; and or ever + they came aland Vingi beheld the runes, and turned them about in such wise + as if Gudrun prayed her brethren in her runes to go meet King Atli. + </p> + <p> + Thereafter they came to the hall of King Gunnar, and had good welcome at + his hands, and great fires were made for them, and in great joyance they + drank of the best of drink. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Vingi, "King Atli sends me hither, and is fain that ye go to + his house and home in all glory, and take of him exceeding honours, helms + and shields, swords and byrnies, gold and goodly raiment, horses, hosts of + war, and great and wide lands, for, saith he, he is fainest of all things + to bestow his realm and lordship upon you." + </p> + <p> + Then Gunnar turned his head aside, and spoke to Hogni— + </p> + <p> + "In what wise shall we take this bidding? might and wealth he bids us + take; but no kings know I who have so much gold as we have, whereas we + have all the hoard which lay once on Gnitaheath; and great are our + chambers, and full of gold, and weapons for smiting, and all kinds of + raiment of war, and well I wot that amidst all men my horse is the best, + and my sword the sharpest, and my gold the most glorious." + </p> + <p> + Hogni answers, "A marvel is it to me of his bidding, for seldom hath he + done in such a wise, and ill-counselled will it be to wend to him; lo now, + when I saw those dear-bought things the king sends us I wondered to behold + a wolf's hair knit to a certain gold ring; belike Gudrun deems him to be + minded as a wolf towards us, and will have naught of our faring." + </p> + <p> + But withal Vingi shows him the runes which he said Gudrun had sent. + </p> + <p> + Now the most of folk go to bed, but these drank on still with certain + others; and Kostbera, the wife of Hogni, the fairest of women, came to + them, and looked on the runes. + </p> + <p> + But the wife of Gunnar was Glaumvor, a great-hearted wife. + </p> + <p> + So these twain poured out, and the kings drank, and were exceeding + drunken, and Vingi notes it, and says— + </p> + <p> + "Naught may I hide that King Atli is heavy of foot and over-old for the + warding of his realm; but his sons are young and of no account: now will + he give you rule over his realms while they are yet thus young, and most + fain will he be that ye have the joy thereof before all others." + </p> + <p> + Now so it befell both that Gunnar was drunk, and that great dominion was + held out to him, nor might he work against the fate shapen for him; so he + gave his word to go, and tells Hogni his brother thereof. + </p> + <p> + But he answered, "Thy word given must even stand now, nor will I fail to + follow thee, but most loth am I to this journey." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Service-tree; "pyrus sorbus domestica", or "p. s. + tormentalis. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0035" id="link2HCH0035"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXV. The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings. + </h2> + <p> + So when men had drunk their fill, they fared to sleep; then falls Kostbera + to beholding the runes, and spelling over the letters, and sees that + beneath were other things cut, and that the runes are guileful; yet + because of her wisdom she had skill to read them aright. So then she goes + to bed by her husband; but when they awoke, she spake unto Hogni— + </p> + <p> + "Thou art minded to wend away from home—ill-counselled is that; + abide till another time! Scarce a keen reader of runes art thou, if thou + deemest thou hast beheld in them the bidding of thy sister to this + journey: lo, I read the runes, and had marvel of so wise a woman as Gudrun + is, that she should have miscut them; but that which lieth underneath + beareth your bane with it,—yea, either she lacked a letter, or + others have dealt guilefully with the runes. + </p> + <p> + "And now hearken to my dream; for therein methought there fell in upon us + here a river exceeding strong, and brake up the timbers of the hall." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Full oft are ye evil of mind, ye women, but for me, I was + not made in such wise as to meet men with evil who deserve no evil; belike + he will give us good welcome." + </p> + <p> + She answered, "Well, the thing must ye yourselves prove, but no friendship + follows this bidding:—but yet again I dreamed that another river + fell in here with a great and grimly rush, and tore up the dais of the + hall, and brake the legs of both you brethren; surely that betokeneth + somewhat." + </p> + <p> + He answers, "Meadows along our way, whereas thou didst dream of the river; + for when we go through the meadows, plentifully doth the seeds of the hay + hang about our legs." + </p> + <p> + "Again I dreamed," she says, "that thy cloak was afire, and that the flame + blazed up above the hall." + </p> + <p> + Says he, "Well, I wot what that shall betoken; here lieth my fair-dyed + raiment, and it shall burn and blaze, whereas thou dreamedst of the + cloak." + </p> + <p> + "Methought a bear came in," she says, "and brake up the king's high-seat, + and shook his paws in such a wise that we were all adrad thereat, and he + gat us all together into the mouth of him, so that we might avail us + naught, and thereof fell great horror on us." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Some great storm will befall, whereas thou hadst a white + bear in thy mind." + </p> + <p> + "An erne methought came in," she says, "and swept adown the hall, and + drenched me and all of us with blood, and ill shall that betoken, for + methought it was the double of King Atli." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Full oft do we slaughter beasts freely, and smite down great + neat for our cheer, and the dream of the erne has but to do with oxen; + yea, Atli is heart-whole toward us." + </p> + <p> + And therewithal they cease this talk. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0036" id="link2HCH0036"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVI. Of the Journey of the Giukings to King Atli. + </h2> + <p> + Now tells the tale of Gunnar, that in the same wise it fared with him; for + when they awoke, Glaumvor his wife told him many dreams which seemed to + her like to betoken guile coming; but Gunnar areded them all in other + wise. + </p> + <p> + "This was one of them," said she; "methought a bloody sword was borne into + the hall here, wherewith thou wert thrust through, and at either end of + that sword wolves howled." + </p> + <p> + The king answered, "Cur dogs shall bite me belike; blood-stained weapons + oft betoken dogs' snappings." + </p> + <p> + She said, "Yet again I dreamed—that women came in, heavy and + drooping, and chose thee for their mate; may-happen these would be thy + fateful women." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Hard to arede is this, and none may set aside the fated + measure of his days, nor is it unlike that my time is short." (1) + </p> + <p> + So in the morning they arose, and were minded for the journey, but some + letted them herein. + </p> + <p> + Then cried Gunnar to the man who is called Fjornir— + </p> + <p> + "Arise, and give us to drink goodly wine from great tuns, because + mayhappen this shall be very last of all our feasts; for belike if we die + the old wolf shall come by the gold, and that bear shall nowise spare the + bite of his war-tusks." + </p> + <p> + Then all the folk of his household brought them on their way weeping. + </p> + <p> + The son of Hogni said— + </p> + <p> + "Fare ye well with merry tide." + </p> + <p> + The more part of their folk were left behind; Solar and Snaevar, the sons + of Hogni, fared with them, and a certain great champion, named Orkning, + who was the brother of Kostbera. + </p> + <p> + So folk followed them down to the ships, and all letted them of their + journey, but attained to naught therein. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Glaumvor, and said— + </p> + <p> + "O Vingi, most like that great ill hap will come of thy coming, and mighty + and evil things shall betide in thy travelling." + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Hearken to my answer; that I lie not aught: and may the high + gallows and all things of grame have me, if I lie one word!" + </p> + <p> + Then cried Kostbera, "Fare ye well with merry days." + </p> + <p> + And Hogni answered, "Be glad of heart, howsoever it may fare with us!" + </p> + <p> + And therewith they parted, each to their own fate. Then away they rowed, + so hard and fast, that well-nigh the half of the keel slipped away from + the ship, and so hard they laid on to the oars that thole and gunwale + brake. + </p> + <p> + But when they came aland they made their ship fast, and then they rode + awhile on their noble steeds through the murk wild-wood. + </p> + <p> + And now they behold the king's army, and huge uproar, and the clatter of + weapons they hear from thence; and they see there a mighty host of men, + and the manifold array of them, even as they wrought there: and all the + gates of the burg were full of men. + </p> + <p> + So they rode up to the burg, and the gates thereof were shut; then Hogni + brake open the gates, and therewith they ride into the burg. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Vingi, "Well might ye have left this deed undone; go to now, + bide ye here while I go seek your gallows-tree! Softly and sweetly I bade + you hither, but an evil thing abode thereunder; short while to bide ere ye + are tied up to that same tree!" + </p> + <p> + Hogni answered, "None the more shall we waver for that cause; for little + methinks have we shrunk aback whenas men fell to fight; and naught shall + it avail thee to make us afeard,—and for an ill fate hast thou + wrought." + </p> + <p> + And therewith they cast him down to earth, and smote him with their + axe-hammers till he died. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Parallel beliefs to those in the preceding chapters, and + elsewhere in this book, as to spells, dreams, drinks, etc., + among the English people may be found in "Leechdoms, + Wortcunning, and Starcraft of the Anglo-Saxons; being a + collection of Documents illustrating the History of Science + in this Country before the Norman Conquest". Ed: Rev. T. O. + Cockayne, M.A. (3 vols.) Longmans, London, 1864, 8vo. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0037" id="link2HCH0037"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVII. The Battle in the Burg of King Atli. + </h2> + <p> + Then they rode unto the king's hall, and King Atli arrayed his host for + battle, and the ranks were so set forth that a certain wall there was + betwixt them and the brethren. + </p> + <p> + "Welcome hither," said he. "Deliver unto me that plenteous gold which is + mine of right; even the wealth which Sigurd once owned, and which is now + Gudrun's of right." + </p> + <p> + Gunnar answered, "Never gettest thou that wealth; and men of might must + thou meet here, or ever we lay by life if thou wilt deal with us in + battle; ah, belike thou settest forth this feast like a great man, and + wouldst not hold thine hand from erne and wolf!" + </p> + <p> + "Long ago I had it in my mind," said Atli, "to take the lives of you, and + be lord of the gold, and reward you for that deed of shame, wherein ye + beguiled the best of all your affinity; but now shall I revenge him." + </p> + <p> + Hogni answered, "Little will it avail to lie long brooding over that rede, + leaving the work undone." + </p> + <p> + And therewith they fell to hard fighting, at the first brunt with shot. + </p> + <p> + But therewithal came the tidings to Gudrun, and when she heard thereof she + grew exceeding wroth, and cast her mantle from her, and ran out and + greeted those new-comers, and kissed her brethren, and showed them all + love,—and the last of all greetings was that betwixt them. + </p> + <p> + Then said she, "I thought I had set forth counsels whereby ye should not + come hither, but none may deal with his shapen fate." And withal she said, + "Will it avail aught to seek for peace?" + </p> + <p> + But stoutly and grimly they said nay thereto. So she sees that the game + goeth sorely against her brethren, and she gathers to her great stoutness + of heart, and does on her a mail-coat and takes to her a sword, and fights + by her brethren, and goes as far forward as the bravest of man-folk: and + all spoke in one wise that never saw any fairer defence than in her. + </p> + <p> + Now the men fell thick, and far before all others was the fighting of + those brethren, and the battle endured a long while unto midday; Gunnar + and Hogni went right through the folk of Atli, and so tells the tale that + all the mead ran red with blood; the sons of Hogni withal set on stoutly. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Atli the king, "A fair host and a great have we, and mighty + champions withal, and yet have many of us fallen, and but evil am I apaid + in that nineteen of my champions are slain, and but left six alive." + </p> + <p> + And therewithal was there a lull in the battle. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Atli the king, "Four brethren were we, and now am I left alone; + great affinity I gat to me, and deemed my fortune well sped thereby; a + wife I had, fair and wise, high of mind, and great of heart; but no + joyance may I have of her wisdom, for little peace is betwixt us,—but + ye—ye have slain many of my kin, and beguiled me of realm and + riches, and for the greatest of all woes have slain my sister withal." + </p> + <p> + Quoth Hogni, "Why babblest thou thus? thou wert the first to break the + peace. Thou didst take my kinswoman and pine her to death by hunger, and + didst murder her, and take her wealth; an ugly deed for a king!—meet + for mocking and laughter I deem it, that thou must needs make long tale of + thy woes; rather will I give thanks to the Gods that thou fallest into + ill." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0038" id="link2HCH0038"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVIII. Of the slaying of the Giukings. + </h2> + <p> + Now King Atli eggs on his folk to set on fiercely, and eagerly they fight; + but the Giukings fell on so hard that King Atli gave back into the hall, + and within doors was the fight, and fierce beyond all fights. + </p> + <p> + That battle was the death of many a man, but such was the ending thereof, + that there fell all the folk of those brethren, and they twain alone stood + up on their feet, and yet many more must fare to hell first before their + weapons. + </p> + <p> + And now they fell on Gunnar the king, and because of the host of men that + set on him was hand laid on him, and he was cast into fetters; afterwards + fought Hogni, with the stoutest heart and the greatest manlihood; and he + felled to earth twenty of the stoutest of the champions of King Atli, and + many he thrust into the fire that burnt amidst the hall, and all were of + one accord that such a man might scarce be seen; yet in the end was he + borne down by many and taken. + </p> + <p> + Then said King Atli, "A marvellous thing how many men have gone their ways + before him! Cut the heart from out of him, and let that be his bane!" + </p> + <p> + Hogni said, "Do according to thy will; merrily will I abide whatso thou + wrlt do against me; and thou shalt see that my heart is not adrad, for + hard matters have I made trial of ere now, and all things that may try a + man was I fain to bear, whiles yet I was unhurt; but now sorely am I hurt, + and thou alone henceforth will bear mastery in our dealings together." + </p> + <p> + Then spake a counsellor of King Atli, "Better rede I see thereto; take we + the thrall Hjalli, and give respite to Hogni; for this thrall is made to + die, since the longer he lives the less worth shall he be." + </p> + <p> + The thrall hearkened, and cried out aloft, and fled away anywhither where + he might hope for shelter, crying out that a hard portion was his because + of their strife and wild doings, and an ill day for him whereon he must be + dragged to death from his sweet life and his swine-keeping. But they + caught him, and turned a knife against him, and he yelled and screamed or + ever he felt the point thereof. + </p> + <p> + Then in such wise spake Hogni as a man seldom speaketh who is fallen into + hard need, for he prayed for the thrall's life, and said that these + shrieks he could not away with, and that it were a lesser matter to him to + play out the play to the end; and therewithal the thrall gat his life as + for that time: but Gunnar and Hogni are both laid in fetters. + </p> + <p> + Then spake King Atli with Gunnar the king, and bade him tell out + concerning the gold, and where it was, if he would have his life. + </p> + <p> + But he answered, "Nay, first will I behold the bloody heart of Hogni, my + brother." + </p> + <p> + So now they caught hold of the thrall again, and cut the heart from out of + him, and bore it unto King Gunnar, but he said— + </p> + <p> + "The faint heart of Hjalli may ye here behold, little like the proud heart + of Hogni, for as much as it trembleth now, more by the half it trembled + whenas it lay in the breast of him." + </p> + <p> + So now they fell on Hogni even as Atli urged them, and cut the heart from + out of him, but such was the might of his manhood, that he laughed while + he abode that torment, and all wondered at his worth, and in perpetual + memory is it held sithence. (1) + </p> + <p> + Then they showed it to Gunnar, and he said— + </p> + <p> + "The mighty heart of Hogni, little like the faint heart of Hjalli, for + little as it trembleth now, less it trembled whenas in his breast it lay! + But now, O Atli, even as we die so shalt thou die; and lo, I alone wot + where the gold is, nor shall Hogni be to tell thereof now; to and fro + played the matter in my mind whiles we both lived, but now have I myself + determined for myself, and the Rhine river shall rule over the gold, + rather than that the Huns shall bear it on the hands of them." + </p> + <p> + Then said King Atli, "Have away the bondsman;" and so they did. + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun called to her men, and came to Atli, and said— + </p> + <p> + "May it fare ill with thee now and from henceforth, even as thou hast ill + held to thy word with me!" + </p> + <p> + So Gunnar was cast into a worm-close, and many worms abode him there, and + his hands were fast bound; but Gudrun sent him a harp, and in such wise + did he set forth his craft, that wisely he smote the harp, smiting it with + his toes, and so excellently well he played, that few deemed they had + heard such playing, even when the hand had done it. And with such might + and power he played, that all worms fell asleep in the end, save one adder + only, great and evil of aspect, that crept unto him and thrust its sting + into him until it smote his heart; and in such wise with great hardihood + he ended his life days. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Since ("sidh", after, and "dham", that.). +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0039" id="link2HCH0039"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIX. The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk. + </h2> + <p> + Now thought Atli the King that he had gained a mighty victory, and spake + to Gudrun even as mocking her greatly, or as making himself great before + her. "Gudrun," saith he, "thus hast thou lost thy brethren, and thy very + self hast brought it about." + </p> + <p> + She answers, "In good liking livest thou, whereas thou thrustest these + slayings before me, but mayhappen thou wilt rue it, when thou hast tried + what is to come hereafter; and of all I have, the longest-lived matter + shall be the memory of thy cruel heart, nor shall it go well with thee + whiles I live." + </p> + <p> + He answered and said, "Let there be peace betwixt us; I will atone for thy + brethren with gold and dear-bought things, even as thy heart may wish." + </p> + <p> + She answers, "Hard for a long while have I been in our dealings together, + and now I say, that while Hogni was yet alive thou mightest have brought + it to pass; but now mayest thou never atone for my brethren in my heart; + yet oft must we women be overborne by the might of you men; and now are + all my kindred dead and gone, and thou alone art left to rule over me: + wherefore now this is my counsel that we make a great feast, wherein I + will hold the funeral of my brother and of thy kindred withal." + </p> + <p> + In such wise did she make herself soft and kind in words, though far other + things forsooth lay thereunder, but he hearkened to her gladly, and + trusted in her words, whereas she made herself sweet of speech. + </p> + <p> + So Gudrun held the funeral feast for her brethren, and King Atli for his + men, and exceeding proud and great was this feast. + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun forgat not her woe, but brooded over it, how she might work + some mighty shame against the king; and at nightfall she took to her the + sons of King Atli and her as they played about the floor; the younglings + waxed heavy of cheer, and asked what she would with them. + </p> + <p> + "Ask me not," she said; "ye shall die, the twain of you!" + </p> + <p> + Then they answered, "Thou mayest do with thy children even as thou wilt, + nor shall any hinder thee, but shame there is to thee in the doing of this + deed." + </p> + <p> + Yet for all that she cut the throats of them. + </p> + <p> + Then the king asked where his sons were, and Gudrun answered, "I will tell + thee, and gladden thine heart by the telling; lo now, thou didst make a + great woe spring up for me in the slaying of my brethren; now hearken and + hear my rede and my deed; thou hast lost thy sons, and their heads are + become beakers on the board here, and thou thyself hast drunken the blood + of them blended with wine; and their hearts I took and roasted them on a + spit, and thou hast eaten thereof." + </p> + <p> + King Atli answered, "Grim art thou in that thou hast murdered thy sons, + and given me their flesh to eat, and little space passes betwixt ill deed + of thine and ill deed." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun said, "My heart is set on the doing to thee of as great shame as + may be; never shall the measure of ill be full to such a king as thou + art." + </p> + <p> + The king said, "Worser deeds hast thou done than men have to tell of, and + great unwisdom is there in such fearful redes; most meet art thou to be + burned on bale when thou hast first been smitten to death with stones, for + in such wise wouldst thou have what thou hast gone a weary way to seek." + </p> + <p> + She answered, "Thine own death thou foretellest, but another death is + fated for me." + </p> + <p> + And many other words they spake in their wrath. + </p> + <p> + Now Hogni had a son left alive, hight Niblung, and great wrath of heart he + bare against King Atli; and he did Gudrun to wit that he would avenge his + father. And she took his words well, and they fell to counsel together + thereover, and she said it would be great goodhap if it might be brought + about. + </p> + <p> + So on a night, when the king had drunken, he gat him to bed, and when he + was laid asleep, thither to him came Gudrun and the son of Hogni. + </p> + <p> + Gudrun took a sword and thrust it through the breast of King Atli, and + they both of them set their hands to the deed, both she and the son of + Hogni. + </p> + <p> + Then Atli the king awoke with the wound, and cried out; "no need of + binding or salving here!—who art thou who hast done the deed?" + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "Somewhat have I, Gudrun, wrought therein, and somewhat + withal the son of Hogni." + </p> + <p> + Atli said, "Ill it beseemed to thee to do this, though somewhat of wrong + was between us; for thou wert wedded to me by the rede of thy kin, and + dower paid I for thee; yea, thirty goodly knights, and seemly maidens, and + many men besides; and yet wert thou not content, but if thou should rule + over the lands King Budli owned: and thy mother-in-law full oft thou + lettest sit a-weeping." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun said, "Many false words hast thou spoken, and of naught I account + them; oft, indeed, was I fell of mood, but much didst thou add thereto. + Full oft in this thy house did frays befall, and kin fought kin, and + friend fought friend, and made themselves big one against the other; + better days had I whenas I abode with Sigurd, when we slew kings, and took + their wealth to us, but gave peace to whomso would, and the great men laid + themselves under our hands, and might we gave to him of them who would + have it; then I lost him, and a little thing was it that I should bear a + widow's name, but the greatest of griefs that I should come to thee—I + who had aforetime the noblest of all kings, while for thee, thou never + barest out of the battle aught but the worser lot." + </p> + <p> + King Atli answered, "Naught true are thy words, nor will this our speech + better the lot of either of us, for all is fallen now to naught; but now + do to me in seemly wise, and array my dead corpse in noble fashion." + </p> + <p> + "Yea, that will I," she says, "and let make for thee a goodly grave, and + build for thee a worthy abiding place of stone, and wrap thee in fair + linen, and care for all that needful is." + </p> + <p> + So therewithal he died, and she did according to her word: and then they + cast fire into the hall. + </p> + <p> + And when the folk and men of estate awoke amid that dread and trouble, + naught would they abide the fire, but smote each the other down, and died + in such wise; so there Atli the king, and all his folk, ended their + life-days. But Gudrun had no will to live longer after this deed so + wrought, but nevertheless her ending day was not yet come upon her. + </p> + <p> + Now the Volsungs and the Giukings, as folk tell in tale, have been the + greatest-hearted and the mightiest of all men, as ye may well behold + written in the songs of old time. + </p> + <p> + But now with the tidings just told were these troubles stayed. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0040" id="link2HCH0040"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XL. How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore + again. + </h2> + <p> + Gudrun had a daughter by Sigurd hight Swanhild; she was the fairest of all + women, eager-eyed as her father, so that few durst look under the brows of + her; and as far did she excel other woman-kind as the sun excels the other + lights of heaven. + </p> + <p> + But on a day went Gudrun down to the sea, and caught up stones in her + arms, and went out into the sea, for she had will to end her life. But + mighty billows drave her forth along the sea, and by means of their + upholding was she borne along till she came at the last to the burg of + King Jonakr, a mighty king, and lord of many folk. And he took Gudrun to + wife, and their children were Hamdir, and Sorli, and Erp; and there was + Swanhild nourished withal. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0041" id="link2HCH0041"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLI. Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild. + </h2> + <p> + Jormunrek was the name of a mighty king of those days, and his son was + called Randver. Now this king called his son to talk with him, and said, + "Thou shalt fare on an errand of mine to King Jonakr, with my counsellor + Bikki, for with King Jonakr is nourished Swanhild, the daughter of Sigurd + Fafnir's-bane; and I know for sure that she is the fairest may dwelling + under the sun of this world; her above all others would I have to my wife, + and thou shalt go woo her for me." + </p> + <p> + Randver answered, "Meet and right, fair lord, that I should go on thine + errands." + </p> + <p> + So the king set forth this journey in seemly wise, and they fare till they + come to King Jonakr's abode, and behold Swanhild, and have many thoughts + concerning the treasure of her goodliness. + </p> + <p> + But on a day Randver called the king to talk with him, and said, + "Jormunrek the King would fain be thy brother-in-law, for he has heard + tell of Swanhild, and his desire it is to have her to wife, nor may it be + shown that she may be given to any mightier man than he is one." + </p> + <p> + The King says, "This is an alliance of great honour, for a man of fame he + is." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun says, "A wavering trust, the trust in luck that it change not!" + </p> + <p> + Yet because of the king's furthering, and all the matters that went + herewith, is the wooing accomplished; and Swanhild went to the ship with a + goodly company, and sat in the stern beside the king's son. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Bikki to Randver, "How good and right it were if thou thyself + had to wife so lovely a woman rather than the old man there." + </p> + <p> + Good seemed that word to the heart of the king's son, and he spake to her + with sweet words, and she to him in like wise. + </p> + <p> + So they came aland and go unto the king, and Bikki said unto him, "Meet + and right it is, lord, that thou shouldst know what is befallen, though + hard it be to tell of, for the tale must be concerning thy beguiling, + whereas thy son has gotten to him the full love of Swanhild, nor is she + other than his harlot; but thou, let not the deed be unavenged." + </p> + <p> + Now many an ill rede had he given the king or this, but of all his ill + redes did this sting home the most; and still would the king hearken to + all his evil redes; wherefore he, who might nowise still the wrath within + him, cried out that Randver should be taken and tied up to the + gallows-tree. + </p> + <p> + And as he was led to the gallows he took his hawk and plucked the feathers + from off it, and bade show it to his father; and when the king saw it, + then he said, "Now may folk behold that he deemeth my honour to be gone + away from me, even as the feathers of this hawk;" and therewith he bade + deliver him from the gallows. + </p> + <p> + But in that while had Bikki wrought his will, and Randver was dead-slain. + </p> + <p> + And, moreover, Bikki spake, "Against none hast thou more wrongs to avenge + thee of than against Swanhild; let her die a shameful death." + </p> + <p> + "Yea," said the king, "we will do after thy counsel." + </p> + <p> + So she was bound in the gate of the burg, and horses were driven at her to + tread her down; but when she opened her eyes wide, then the horses durst + not trample her; so when Bikki beheld that, he bade draw a bag over the + head of her; and they did so, and therewith she lost her life. (1) + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES + (1) In the prose Edda the slaying of Swanhild is a spontaneous + and sudden act on the part of the king. As he came back + from hunting one day, there sat Swanhild washing her linen, + and it came into the king's mind how that she was the cause + of all his woe, so he and his men rode over her and slew + her.—Tr. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0042" id="link2HCH0042"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLII. Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild. + </h2> + <p> + Now Gudrun heard of the slaying of Swanhild, and spake to her sons, "Why + sit ye here in peace amid merry words, whereas Jormunrek hath slain your + sister, and trodden her under foot of horses in shameful wise? No heart ye + have in you like to Gunnar or Hogni; verily they would have avenged their + kinswoman!" + </p> + <p> + Hamdir answered, "Little didst thou praise Gunnar and Hogni, whereas they + slew Sigurd, and thou wert reddened in the blood of him, and ill were thy + brethren avenged by the slaying of thine own sons: yet not so ill a deed + were it for us to slay King Jormunrek, and so hard thou pushest us on to + this that we may naught abide thy hard words." + </p> + <p> + Gudrun went about laughing now, and gave them to drink from mighty + beakers, and thereafter she got for them great byrnies and good, and all + other weed (1) of war. + </p> + <p> + Then spake Hamdir, "Lo now, this is our last parting, for thou shalt hear + tidings of us, and drink one grave-ale (2) over us and over Swanhild." + </p> + <p> + So therewith they went their ways. + </p> + <p> + But Gudrun went unto her bower, with heart swollen with sorrow, and spake— + </p> + <p> + "To three men was I wedded, and first to Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and he was + bewrayed and slain, and of all griefs was that the greatest grief. Then + was I given to King Atli, and so fell was my heart toward him that I slew + in the fury of my grief his children and mine. Then gave I myself to the + sea, but the billows thereof cast me out aland, and to this king then was + I given; then gave I Swanhild away out of the land with mighty wealth; and + lo, my next greatest sorrow after Sigurd, for under horses' feet was she + trodden and slain; but the grimmest and ugliest of woes was the casting of + Gunnar into the Worm-close, and the hardest was the cutting of Hogni's + heart from him. + </p> + <p> + "Ah, better would it be if Sigurd came to meet me, and I went my ways with + him, for here bideth now behind with me neither son nor daughter to + comfort me. Oh, mindest thou not, Sigurd, the words we spoke when we went + into one bed together, that thou wouldst come and look on me; yea, even + from thine abiding place among the dead?" + </p> + <p> + And thus had the words of her sorrow an end. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTE: + (1) Weed (A.S. "weodo"), clothing. + (2) Grave-ale, burial-feast. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0043" id="link2HCH0043"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLIII. The Latter End of all the Kin of the Giukings. + </h2> + <p> + Now telleth the tale concerning the sons of Gudrun, that she had arrayed + their war-raiment in such wise, that no steel would bite thereon; and she + bade them play not with stones or other heavy matters, for that it would + be to their scathe if they did so. + </p> + <p> + And now, as they went on their way, they met Erp, their brother, and asked + him in what wise he would help them. + </p> + <p> + He answered, "Even as hand helps hand, or foot helps foot." + </p> + <p> + But that they deemed naught at all, and slew him there and then. Then they + went their ways, nor was it long or ever Hamdir stumbled, and thrust down + his hand to steady himself, and spake therewith— + </p> + <p> + "Naught but a true thing spake Erp, for now should I have fallen, had not + hand been to steady me." + </p> + <p> + A little after Sorli stumbled, but turned about on his feet, and so stood, + and spake— + </p> + <p> + "Yea now had I fallen, but that I steadied myself with both feet." + </p> + <p> + And they said they had done evilly with Erp their brother. + </p> + <p> + But on they fare till they come to the abode of King Jormunrek, and they + went up to him and set on him forthwith, and Hamdir cut both hands from + him and Sorli both feet. Then spake Hamdir— + </p> + <p> + "Off were the head if Erp were alive; our brother, whom we slew on the + way, and found out our deed too late." Even as the Song says,— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + "Off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold, + Whom we slew by the way, + The well-famed in warfare." +</pre> + <p> + Now in this must they turn away from the words of their mother, whereas + they had to deal with stones. For now men fell on them, and they defended + themselves in good and manly wise, and were the scathe of many a man, nor + would iron bite on them. + </p> + <p> + But there came thereto a certain man, old of aspect and one-eyed, (1) and + he spake— + </p> + <p> + "No wise men are ye, whereas ye cannot bring these men to their end." + </p> + <p> + Then the king said, "Give us rede thereto, if thou canst." + </p> + <p> + He said, "Smite them to the death with stones." + </p> + <p> + In such wise was it done, for the stones flew thick and fast from every + side, and that was the end of their life-days. + </p> + <p> + And now has come to an end the whole root and stem of the Giukings. (2) + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + NOW MAY ALL EARLS + BE BETTERED IN MIND, + MAY THE GRIEF OF ALL MAIDENS + EVER BE MINISHED, + FOR THIS TALE OF TROUBLE + SO TOLD TO ITS ENDING. +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin; he ends the tale as he began it. + (2) "And now," etc., inserted by translators from the Poetic + Edda, the stanza at the end from the Whetting of Gudrun. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_APPE" id="link2H_APPE"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + APPENDIX: EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA. + </h2> + <p> + <a name="link2H_PART" id="link2H_PART"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + PART OF THE SECOND LAY OF HELGI HUNDINGS-BANE (1) + </h2> + <p> + Helgi wedded Sigrun, and they begate sons together, but Helgi lived not to + be old; for Dag, (2) the son of Hogni, sacrificed to Odin, praying that he + might avenge his father. So Odin lent Dag his spear, and Dag met Helgi, + his brother-in-law, at a place called Fetter-grove, and thrust him through + with that spear, and there fell Helgi dead; but Dag rode to Sevafell, and + told Sigrun of the news. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + DAG: + Loth am I, sister + Of sorrow to tell thee, + For by hard need driven + Have I drawn on the greeting; + This morning fell + In Fetter-grove + The king well deemed + The best in the wide world, + Yea, he who stood + On the necks of the strong." + + SIGRUN: + All oaths once sworn + Shall bite thee sore, + The oaths that to Helgi + Once thou swarest + At the bright white + Water of Lightening, (3) + And at the cold rock + That the sea runneth over. + + May the ship sweep not on + That should sweep at its swiftest, + Though the wind desired + Behind thee driveth! + May the horse never run + That should run at his most might + When from thy foe's face + Thou hast most need to flee! + + May the sword never bite + That thou drawest from scabbard + But and if round thine head + In wrath it singeth! + + Then should meet price be paid + For Helgi's slaying + When a wolf thou wert + Out in the wild-wood, + Empty of good things + Empty of gladness, + With no meat for thy mouth + But dead men's corpses! + + DAG: + With mad words thou ravest, + Thy wits are gone from thee, + When thou for thy brother + Such ill fate biddest; + Odin alone + Let all this bale loose, + Casting the strife-runes + 'Twixt friends and kindred. + + Rings of red gold + Will thy brother give thee, + And the stead of Vandil + And the lands of Vigdale; + Have half of the land + For thy sorrow's healing, + O ring-arrayed sweetling + For thee and thy sons! + + SIGRUN: + No more sit I happy + At Sevafell; + At day-dawn, at night + Naught love I my life + Till broad o'er the people + My lord's light breaketh; + Till his war-horse runneth + Beneath him hither, + Well wont to the gold bit— + Till my king I welcome. + + In such wise did Helgi + Deal fear around + To all his foes + And all their friends + As when the goat runneth + Before the wolf's rage + Filled with mad fear + Down from the fell. + + As high above all lords + Did Helgi beat him + As the ash-tree's glory + From the thorn ariseth, + Or as the fawn + With the dew-fell sprinkled + Is far above + All other wild things, + As his horns go gleaming + 'Gainst the very heavens. +</pre> + <p> + A barrow was raised above Helgi, but when he came in Valhall, then Odin + bade him be lord of all things there, even as he; so Helgi sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + HELGI: + Now shalt thou, Hunding + For the help of each man + Get ready the foot-bath, + And kindle the fire; + The hounds shalt thou bind + And give heed to the horses, + Give wash to the swine + Ere to sleep thou goest. +</pre> + <p> + A bondmaid of Sigrun went in the evening-tide by Helgi's mound, and there + saw how Helgi rode toward it with a great company; then she sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + BONDMAID: + It is vain things' beguilling + That methinks I behold, + Or the ending of all things, + As ye ride, O ye dead men, + Smiting with spurs + Your horses' sides? + Or may dead warriors + Wend their ways homeward? + + THE DEAD: + No vain things' beguiling + Is that thou beholdest, + Nor the ruin of all things; + Though thou lookest upon us, + Though we smite with spurs + Our horses' sides; + Rather dead warriors + May wend their ways homeward. +</pre> + <p> + Then went the bondmaid home, and told Sigrun, and sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + BONDMAID: + Go out, Sigrun + From Sevafell, + If thou listest to look on + The lord of thy people! + For the mound is uncovered + Thither is Helgi come, + And his wounds are bleeding, + But the king thee biddeth + To come and stay + That stream of sorrow. +</pre> + <p> + So Sigrun went into the mound to Helgi, and sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + SIGRUN: + Now am I as fain + Of this fair meeting, + As are the hungry + Hawks of Odin, + When they wot of the slaying + Of the yet warm quarry, + Or bright with dew + See the day a-dawning. + + Ah, I will kiss + My king laid lifeless, + Ere thou castest by + Thy blood-stained byrny. + O Helgi, thy hair + Is thick with death's rime, + With the dew of the dead + Is my love all dripping; + Dead-cold are the hands + Of the son of Hogni; + How for thee, O my king, + May I win healing? + + HELGI: + Thou alone, Sigrun + Of Sevafell, + Hast so done that Helgi + With grief's dew drippeth; + O clad in gold + Cruel tears thou weepest, + Bright May of the Southlands, + Or ever thou sleepest; + Each tear in blood falleth + On the breast of thy lord, + Cold wet and bitter-sharp + Swollen with sorrow. + + Ah, we shall drink + Dear draughts and lovely, + Though, we have lost + Both life and lands; + Neither shall any + Sing song of sorrow, + Though in my breast + Be wounds wide to behold: + For now are brides + In the mound abiding; + Kings' daughters sit + By us departed. +</pre> + <p> + Bow Sigrun arrayed a bed in the mound, and sang— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + SIGRUN: + Here, Helgi, for thee + A bed have I dight, + Kind without woe, + O kin of the Ylfings! + To thy bosom, O king, + Will I come and sleep soft, + As I was wont + When my lord was living. + + HELGI: + Now will I call + Naught not to be hoped for + Early or late + At Sevafell, + When thou in the arms + Of a dead man art laid, + White maiden of Hogni, + Here in the mound: + And thou yet quick, + O King's daughter! + + Now needs must I ride + On the reddening ways; + My pale horse must tread + The highway aloft; + West must I go + To Windhelm's bridge + Ere the war-winning crowd + Hall-crower (4) waketh. +</pre> + <p> + So Helgi rode his ways: and the others gat them gone home to the house. + But the next night Sigrun bade the bondwoman have heed of the mound. So at + nightfall, thenas Sigrun came to the mound, she sang: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + SIGRUN: + Here now would he come, + If to come he were minded; + Sigmund's offspring + From the halls of Odin. + O me the hope waneth + Of Helgi's coming; + For high on the ash-boughs + Are the ernes abiding, + And all folk drift + Toward the Thing of the dreamland. + + BONDMAID: + Be not foolish of heart, + And fare all alone + To the house of the dead, + O Hero's daughter! + For more strong and dreadful + In the night season + Are all dead warriors + Than in the daylight. +</pre> + <p> + But a little while lived Sigrun, because of her sorrow and trouble. But in + old time folk trowed that men should be born again, though their troth be + now deemed but an old wife's dotting. And so, as folk say, Helgi and + Sigrun were born again, and at that tide was he called Helgi the Scathe of + Hadding, and she Kara the daughter of Halfdan; and she was a Valkyrie, + even as is said in the Lay of Kara. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Only that part of the song is given which completes the + episodes of Helgi Hunding's-bane; the earlier part of the + song differs little from the Saga. + (2) Hogni, the father of Dar and Sigrun, had been slain by Helgi + in battle, and Helgi had given peace to, and taken oaths of + Dag. + (3) One of the rivers of the under-world. + (4) Hall-crower, "Salgofnir": lit. Hall-gaper, the cock of + Valhall. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_PART2" id="link2H_PART2"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Now this is my first counsel, + That thou with thy kin + Be guiltless, guileless ever, + Nor hasty of wrath, + Despite of wrong done— + Unto the dead good that doeth. + + Lo the second counsel, + That oath thou swearest never, + But trusty oath and true: + Grim tormenting + Gripes troth-breakers; + Cursed wretch is the wolf of vows. + + This is my third rede, + That thou at the Thing + Deal not with the fools of folk; + For unwise man + From mouth lets fall + Worser word than well he wotteth. + + Yet hard it is + That holding of peace + When men shall deem thee dastard, + Or deem the lie said soothly; + But woeful is home-witness, + Unless right good thou gettest it. + Ah, on another day + Drive the life from out him, + And pay the liar back for his lying. + + Now behold the fourth rede: + If ill witch thee bideth, + Woe-begatting by the way, + Good going further + Rather than guesting, + Though thick night be on thee. + + Far-seeing eyes + Need all sons of men + Who wend in wrath to war; + For baleful women + Bide oft by the highway, + Swords and hearts to soften. + + And now the fifth rede: + As fair as thou seest + Brides on the bench abiding, + Let not love's silver + Rule over thy sleeping; + Draw no woman to kind kissing! + + For the sixth thing, I rede + When men sit a-drinking + Amid ale-words and ill-words, + Dead thou naught + With the drunken fight-staves + For wine stealeth wit from many. + + Brawling and drink + Have brought unto men + Sorrow sore oft enow; + Yea, bane unto some, + And to some weary bale; + Many are the griefs of mankind. + + For the seventh, I rede thee, + If strife thou raisest + With a man right high of heart, + Better fight a-field + Than burn in the fire + Within thine hall fair to behold. + + The eighth rede that I give thee: + Unto all ill look thou, + And hold thine heart from all beguiling; + Draw to thee no maiden, + No man's wife bewray thou, + Urge them not unto unmeet pleasure. + + This is the ninth counsel: + That thou have heed of dead folk + Whereso thou findest them a-field; + Be they sick-dead, + Be they sea-dead, + Or come to ending by war-weapons. + + Let bath be made + For such men fordone, + Wash thou hands and feet thereof, + Comb their hair and dry them + Ere the coffin has them; + Then bid them sleep full sweetly. + + This for the tenth counsel: + That thou give trust never + Unto oaths of foeman's kin, + Be'st thou bane of his brother, + Or hast thou felled his father; + Wolf in young son waxes, + Though he with gold be gladdened. + + For wrong and hatred + Shall rest them never, + Nay, nor sore sorrow. + Both wit and weapons + Well must the king have + Who is fain to be the foremost. + + The last rede and eleventh: + Until all ill look thou. + And watch thy friends' ways ever + Scarce durst I look + For long life for thee, king: + Strong trouble ariseth now already. +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) This continues the first part of the lay given in Chapter XX + of the Saga; and is, in fact, the original verse of Chapter + XXI. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0050" id="link2H_4_0050"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE LAY CALLED THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD. + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Sigurd of yore, + Sought the dwelling of Giuki, + As he fared, the young Volsung, + After fight won; + Troth he took + From the two brethren; + Oath swore they betwixt them, + Those bold ones of deed. + + A may they gave to him + And wealth manifold, + Gudrun the young, + Giuki's daughter: + They drank and gave doom + Many days together, + Sigurd the young, + And the sons of Giuki. + + Until they wended + For Brynhild's wooing, + Sigurd a-riding + Amidst their rout; + The wise young Volsung + Who knew of all ways— + Ah! He had wed her, + Had fate so willed it. + + Southlander Sigurd + A naked sword, + Bright, well grinded, + Laid betwixt them; + No kiss he won + From the fair woman, + Nor in arms of his + Did the Hun King hold her, + Since he gat the young maid + For the son of Giuki. + + No lack in her life + She wotted of now, + And at her death-day + No dreadful thing + For a shame indeed + Or a shame in seeming; + But about and betwixt + Went baleful fate. + + Alone, abroad, + She sat of an evening, + Of full many things + She fall a-talking: + "O for my Sigurd! + I shall have death, + Or my fair, my lovely, + Laid in mine arms. + + "For the word once spoken, + I sorrow sorely— + His queen is Gudrun, + I am wed to Gunnar; + The dread Norns wrought for us + A long while of woe." + + Oft with heart deep + In dreadful thoughts, + O'er ice-fields and ice-hills + She fared a-night time, + When he and Gudrun + Were gone to their fair bed, + And Sigurd wrapped + The bed-gear round her. + + "Ah! Now the Hun King + His queen in arms holdeth, + While love I go lacking, + And all things longed for + With no delight + But in dreadful thought." + + These dreadful things + Thrust her toward murder: + —"Listen, Gunnar, + For thou shalt lose + My wide lands, + Yea, me myself! + Never love I my life, + With thee for my lord— + + "I will fare back thither + From whence I came, + To my nighest kin + And those that know me + There shall I sit + Sleeping my life away, + Unless thou slayest + Sigurd the Hun King, + Making thy might more + E'en than his might was! + + "Yea, let the son fare + After the father, + And no young wolf + A long while nourish! + For on earth man lieth + Vengeance lighter, + And peace shall be surer + If the son live not." + + Adrad was Gunnar, + Heavy-hearted was he, + And in doubtful mood + Day-long he sat. + For naught he wotted, + Nor might see clearly + What was the seemliest + Of deeds to set hand to; + What of all deeds + Was best to be done: + For he minded the vows + Sworn to the Volsung, + And the sore wrong + To be wrought against Sigurd. + + Wavered his mind + A weary while, + No wont it was + Of those days worn by, + That queens should flee + From the realms of their kings. + + "Brynhild to me + Is better than all, + The child of Budli + Is the best of women. + Yea, and my life + Will I lay down, + Ere I am twinned + From that woman's treasure." + + He bade call Hogni + To the place where he bided; + With all the trust that might be, + Trowed he in him. + + "Wilt thou bewray Sigurd + For his wealth's sake? + Good it is to rule + O'er the Rhine's metal; + And well content + Great wealth to wield, + Biding in peace + And blissful days." + + One thing alone Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Such doings for us + Are naught seemly to do; + To rend with sword + Oaths once sworn, + Oaths once sworn, + And troth once plighted. + + "Nor know we on mould, + Men of happier days, + The while we four + Rule over the folk; + While the bold in battle, + The Hun King, bides living. + + "And no nobler kin + Shall be known afield, + If our five sons + We long may foster; + Yea, a goodly stem + Shall surely wax. + —But I clearly see + In what wise it standeth, + Brynhild's sore urging + O'ermuch on thee beareth. + + "Guttorm shall we + Get for the slaying, + Our younger brother + Bare of wisdom; + For he was out of + All the oaths sworn, + All the oaths sworn, + And the plighted troth." + + Easy to rouse him + Who of naught recketh! + —Deep stood the sword + In the heart of Sigurd. + + There, in the hall, + Gat the high-hearted vengeance; + For he can his sword + At the reckless slayer: + Out at Guttorm + Flew Gram the mighty, + The gleaming steel + From Sigurd's hand. + + Down fell the slayer + Smitten asunder; + The heavy head + And the hands fell one way, + But the feet and such like + Aback where they stood. + + Gudrun was sleeping + Soft in the bed, + Empty of sorrow + By the side of Sigurd: + When she awoke + With all pleasure gone, + Swimming in blood + Of Frey's beloved. + + So sore her hands + She smote together, + That the great-hearted + Gat raised in bed; + —"O Gudrun, weep not + So woefully, + Sweet lovely bride, + For thy brethren live for thee! + + "A young child have I + For heritor; + Too young to win forth + From the house of his foes.— + Black deeds and ill + Have they been a-doing, + Evil rede + Have they wrought at last. + + "Late, late, rideth with them + Unto the Thing, + Such sister's son, + Though seven thou bear,— + —But well I wot + Which way all goeth; + Alone wrought Brynhild + This bale against us. + + "That maiden loved me + Far before all men, + Yet wrong to Gunnar + I never wrought; + Brotherhood I heeded + And all bounden oaths, + That none should deem me + His queen's darling." + + Weary sighed Gudrun, + As the king gat ending, + And so sore her hands + She smote together, + That the cups arow + Rang out therewith, + And the geese cried on high + That were in the homefield. + + Then laughed Brynhild + Budli's daughter, + Once, once only, + From out her heart; + When to her bed + Was borne the sound + Of the sore greeting + Of Giuki's daughter. + + Then, quoth Gunnar, + The king, the hawk-bearer, + "Whereas, thou laughest, + O hateful woman, + Glad on thy bed, + No good it betokeneth: + Why lackest thou else + Thy lovely hue? + Feeder of foul deeds, + Fey do I deem thee, + + "Well worthy art thou + Before all women, + That thine eyes should see + Atli slain of us; + That thy brother's wounds + Thou shouldest see a-bleeding, + That his bloody hurts + Thine hands should bind." + + "No man blameth thee, Gunnar, + Thou hast fulfilled death's measure + But naught Atli feareth + All thine ill will; + Life shall he lay down + Later than ye, + And still bear more might + Aloft than thy might. + + "I shall tell thee, Gunnar, + Though well the tale thou knowest, + In what early days + Ye dealt abroad your wrong: + Young was I then, + Worn with no woe, + Good wealth I had + In the house of my brother! + + "No mind had I + That a man should have me, + Or ever ye Giukings, + Rode into our garth; + There ye sat on your steeds + Three kings of the people— + —Ah! That that faring + Had never befallen! + + "Then spake Atli + To me apart, + And said that no wealth + He would give unto me, + Neither gold nor lands + If I would not be wedded; + Nay, and no part + Of the wealth apportioned, + Which in my first days + He gave me duly; + Which in my first days + He counted down. + + "Wavered the mind + Within me then, + If to fight I should fall + And the felling of folk, + Bold in Byrny + Because of my brother; + A deed of fame + Had that been to all folk, + But to many a man + Sorrow of mind. + + "So I let all sink + Into peace at the last: + More grew I minded + For the mighty treasure, + The red-shining rings + Of Sigmund's son; + For no man's wealth else + Would I take unto me. + + "For myself had I given + To that great king + Who sat amid gold + On the back of Grani; + Nought were his eyes + Like to your eyen, + Nor in any wise + Went his visage with yours; + Though ye might deem you + Due kings of men. + + "One I loved, + One, and none other, + The gold-decked may + Had no doubtful mind; + Thereof shall Atli + Wot full surely, + When he getteth to know + I am gone to the dead. + + "Far be it from me, + Feeble and wavering, + Ever to love + Another's love— + —Yes shall my woe + Be well avenged." + + Up rose Gunnar, + The great men's leader, + And cast his arms + About the queen's neck; + And all went nigh + One after other, + With their whole hearts + Her heart to turn. + + But then all these + From her neck she thrust, + Of her long journey + No man should let her. + + Then called he Hogni + To have talk with him; + "Let all folk go + Forth into the hall, + Thine with mine— + —O need sore and mighty!— + To wot if we yet + My wife's parting may stay. + Till with time's wearing + Some hindrance wax." + + One answer Hogni + Had for all; + "Nay, let hard need + Have rule thereover, + And no man let her + Of her long journey! + Never born again, + May she come back thence! + + "Luckless she came + To the lap of her mother, + Born into the world + For utter woe, + TO many a man + For heart-whole mourning." + + Upraised he turned + From the talk and the trouble, + To where the gem-field + Dealt out goodly treasure; + As she looked and beheld + All the wealth that she had, + And the hungry bondmaids, + And maids of the hall. + + With no good in her heart + She donned her gold byrny, + Ere she thrust the sword point + Through the midst of her body: + On the boister's far side + Sank she adown, + And, smitten with sword, + Still bethought her of redes. + + "Let all come forth + Who are fain the red gold, + Or things less worthy + To win from my hands; + To each one I give + A necklace gilt over, + Wrought hangings and bed=gear, + And bright woven weed." + + All they kept silence, + And thought what to speak, + Then all at once + Answer gave: + "Full enow are death-doomed, + Fain are we to live yet, + Maids of the hall + All meet work winning." + + "From her wise heart at last + The linen-clad damsel, + The one of few years + Gave forth the word: + "I will that none driven + By hand or by word, + For our sake should lose + Well-loved life. + + "Thou on the bones of you + Surely shall burn, + Less dear treasure + At your departing + Nor with Menia's Meal (1) + Shall ye come to see me." + + "Sit thee down, Gunnar, + A word must I say to thee + Of the life's ruin + Of thy lightsome bride— + —Nor shall thy ship + Swim soft and sweetly + For all that I + Lay life adown. + + "Sooner than ye might deem + Shall ye make peace with Gudrun, + For the wise woman + Shall full in the young wife + The hard memory + Of her dead husband. + + "There is a may born + Reared by her mother, + Whiter and brighter + Than is the bright day; + She shall be Swanhild, + She shall be Sunbeam. + + "Thou shalt give Gudrun + Unto a great one, + Noble, well-praised + Of the world's folk; + Not with her goodwill, + Or love shalt thou give her; + Yet will Atli + Come to win her, + My very brother, + Born of Budli. + + —"Ah! Many a memory + Of how ye dealt with me, + How sorely, how evilly + Ye ever beguiled me, + How all pleasure left me + The while my life lasted—! + + "Fain wilt thou be + Oddrun to win, + But thy good liking + Shall Atli let; + But in secret wise + Shall ye win together, + And she shall love thee + As I had loved thee, + If in such wise + Fare had willed it. + + "But with all ill + Shall Atli sting thee, + Into the strait worm-close + Shall he cast thee. + + "But no long space + Shall slip away + Ere Atli too + All life shall lose, + Yea, all his weal + With the life of his sons, + For a dreadful bed + Dights Gudrun for him, + From a heart sore laden, + With the sword's sharp edge. + + "More seemly for Gudrun, + Your very sister, + In death to wend after + Her love first wed; + Had but good rede + To her been given, + Or if her heart + Had been like to my heart. + + —"Faint my speech groweth— + But for our sake + Ne'er shall she lose + Her life beloved; + The sea shall have her, + High billows bear her + Forth unto Jonakr's + Fair land of his fathers. + + "There shall she bear sons, + Stays of a heritage, + Stays of a heritage, + Jonakr's sons; + And Swanhild shall she + Send from the land, + That may born of her, + The may born of Sigurd. + + "Her shall bite + The rede of Bikki, + Whereas for no good + Wins Jormunrek life; + And so is clean perished + All the kin of Sigurd, + Yea, and more greeting, + And more for Gudrun. + + "And now one prayer + Yet pray I of thee— + That last word of mine + Here in the world— + So broad on the field + Be the burg of the dead + That fair space may be left + For us all to lie down, + All those that died + At Sigurd's death! + + "Hang round that burg + Fair hangings and shields, + Web by Gauls woven, + And folk of the Gauls: + There burn the Hun King + Lying beside me. + + "But on the other side + Burn by the Hun King + Those who served me + Strewn with treasure; + Two at the head, + And two at the feet, + Two hounds therewith, + And two hawks moreover: + Then is all dealt + With even dealing. + + "Lay there amidst us + The right-dight metal, + The sharp-edged steel, + That so lay erst; + When we both together + Into one bed went, + And were called by the name + Of man and wife. + + "Never, then, belike + Shall clash behind him + Valhall's bright door + With rings bedight: + And if my fellowship + Followeth after, + In no wretched wise + Then shall we wend. + + "For him shall follow + My five bondmaids, + My eight bondsmen, + No borel folk: + Yea, and my fosterer, + And my father's dower + That Budli of old days + Gave to his dear child. + + "Much have I spoken, + More would I speak, + If the sword would give me + Space for speech; + But my words are waning, + My wounds are swelling— + Naught but truth have I told— + —And now make I ending." +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Menia's Maid"—periphrasis for gold. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0051" id="link2H_4_0051"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD. + </h2> + <p> + After the death of Brynhild were made two bales, one for Sigurd, and that + was first burned; but Brynhild was burned on the other, and she was in a + chariot hung about with goodly hangings. + </p> + <p> + And so folk say that Brynhild drave in her chariot down along the way to + Hell, and passed by an abode where dwelt a certain giantess, and the + giantess spake:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Nay, with my goodwill + Never goest thou + Through this stone-pillared + Stead of mine! + More seemly for thee + To sit sewing the cloth, + Than to go look on + The love of another. + + "What dost thou, going + From the land of the Gauls, + O restless head, + To this mine house? + Golden girl, hast thou not, + If thou listest to hearken, + In sweet wise from thy hands + The blood of men washen?" + + BRYNHILD + "Nay, blame me naught, + Bride of the rock-hall, + Though I roved a warring + In the days that were; + The higher of us twain + Shall I ever be holden + When of our kind + Men make account." + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Thou, O Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Wert the worst ever born + Into the world; + For Giuki's children + Death hast thou gotten, + And turned to destruction + Their goodly dwelling." + + BRYNHILD + "I shall tell thee + True tale from my chariot, + O thou who naught wottest, + If thou listest to wot; + How for me they have gotten + Those heirs of Giuki, + A loveless life, + A life of lies. + + "Hild under helm, + The Hlymdale people, + E'en those who knew me, + Ever would call me. + + "The changeful shapes + Of us eight sisters, + The wise king bade + Under oak-tree to bear; + Of twelve winters was I, + If thou listest to wot, + When I sware to the young lord + Oaths of love. + + "Thereafter gat I + Mid the folk of the Goths, + For Helmgunnar the old, + Swift journey to Hell, + And gave to Aud's brother + The young, gain and glory; + Whereof overwrath + Waxed Odin with me. + + "So he shut me in shield-wall + In Skata grove, + Red shields and white + Close set around me; + And bade him alone + My slumber to break + Who in no land + Knew how to fear. + + "He set round my hall, + Toward the south quarter, + The Bane of all trees + Burning aloft; + And ruled that he only + Thereover should ride + Who should bring me the gold + O'er which Fafnir brooded. + + "Then upon Grani rode + The goodly gold-strewer + To where my fosterer + Ruled his fair dwelling. + He who alone there + Was deemed best of all, + The War-lord of the Danes, + Well worthy of men. + + "In peace did we sleep + Soft in one bed, + As though he had been + Naught but my brother: + There as we lay + Through eight nights wearing, + No hand in love + On each other we laid. + + "Yet thence blamed me, Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That I had slept + In the arms of Sigurd; + And then I wotted + As I fain had not wotted, + That they had bewrayed me + In my betrothals. + + "Ah! For unrest + All too long + Are men and women + Made alive! + Yet we twain together + Shall wear through the ages, + Sigurd and I.— + —Sink adown, O giant-wife!" +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0052" id="link2H_4_0052"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF BRYNHILD + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + HOGNI SAID: + "What hath wrought Sigurd + Of any wrong-doing + That the life of the famed one + Thou art fain of taking?" + + GUNNAR SAID: + "To me has Sigurd + Sworn many oaths, + Sworn many oaths, + And sworn them lying, + And he bewrayed me + When it behoved him + Of all folk to his troth + To be the most trusty." + + HOGNI SAID: + "Thee hath Brynhild + Unto all bale, + And all hate whetted, + And a work of sorrow; + For she grudges to Gudrun + All goodly life; + And to thee the bliss + Of her very body." + + .......... + + Some the wolf roasted, + Some minced the worm, + Some unto Guttorm + Gave the wolf-meat, + Or ever they might + In their lust for murder + On the high king + Lay deadly hand. + + Sigurd lay slain + On the south of the Rhine + High from the fair tree + Croaked forth the raven, + "Ah, yet shall Atli + On you redden edges, + The old oaths shall weigh + On your souls, O warriors." + + Without stood Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + And the first word she said + Was even this word: + "Where then is Sigurd, + Lord of the Warfolk, + Since my kin + Come riding the foremost? + + One word Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Our swords have smitten + Sigurd asunder, + And the grey horse hangs drooping + O'er his lord lying dead." + + Then quoth Brynhild, + Budli's daughter; + "Good weal shall ye have + Of weapons and lands, + That Sigurd alone + Would surely have ruled + If he had lived + But a little longer. + + "Ah, nothing seemly + For Sigurd to rule + Giuki's house + And the folk of the Goths, + When of him five sons + For the slaying of men, + Eager for battle, + Should have been begotten!" + + Then laughed Brynhild— + Loud rang the whole house— + One laugh only + From out her heart: + "Long shall your bliss be + Of lands and people, + Whereas the famed lord + You have felled to the earth!" + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter; + "Much thou speakest, + Many things fearful, + All grame be on Gunnar + The bane of Sigurd! + From a heart full of hate + Shall come heavy vengeance." + + Forth sped the even + Enow there was drunken, + Full enow was there + Of all soft speech; + And all men got sleep + When to bed they were gotten; + Gunnar only lay waking + Long after all men. + + His feet fell he to moving, + Fell to speak to himself + The waster of men, + Still turned in his mind + What on the bough + Those twain would be saying, + The raven and erne, + As they rode their ways homeward. + + But Brynhild awoke, + Budli's daughter, + May of the shield-folk, + A little ere morning: + "Thrust ye on, hold ye back, + —Now all harm is wrought,— + To tell of my sorrow, + Or to let all slip by me?" + + All kept silence + After her speaking, + None might know + That woman's mind, + Or why she must weep + To tell of the work + That laughing once + Of men she prayed. + + BRYNHILD SPAKE: + "In dreams, O Gunnar, + Grim things fell on me; + Dead-cold the hall was, + And my bed was a-cold, + And thou, lord, wert riding + Reft of all bliss, + Laden with fetters + 'Mid the host of thy foemen." + + "So now all ye, + O House of the Niblungs, + Shall be brought to naught, + O ye oath-breakers! + + "Think'st thou not, Gunnar, + How that betid, + When ye let the blood run + Both in one footstep? + With ill reward + Hast thou rewarded + His heart so fain + To be the foremost! + + "As well was seen + When he rode his ways, + That king of all worth, + Unto my wooing; + How the host-destroyer + Held to the vows + Sworn beforetime, + Sworn to the young king. + + "For his wounding-wand + All wrought with gold, + The king beloved + Laid between us; + Without were its edges + Wrought with fire, + But with venom-drops + Deep dyed within." +</pre> + <p> + Thus this song telleth of the death of Sigurd, and setteth forth how that + they slew him without doors; but some say that they slew him within doors, + sleeping in his bed. But the Dutch Folk say that they slew him out in the + wood: and so sayeth the ancient song of Gudrun, that Sigurd and the sons + of Giuki were riding to the Thing whenas he was slain. But all with one + accord say that they bewrayed him in their troth with him, and fell on him + as he lay unarrayed and unawares. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0053" id="link2H_4_0053"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE SECOND OR ANCIENT LAY OF GUDRUN. + </h2> + <p> + Thiodrek the King was in Atli's house, and had lost there the more part of + his men: so there Thiodrek and Gudrun bewailed their troubles one to the + other, and she spake and said:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + A may of all mays + My mother reared me + Bright in bower; + Well loved I my brethren, + Until that Giuki + With gold arrayed me, + With gold arrayed me, + And gave me to Sigurd. + + Such was my Sigurd, + Among the sons of Giuki + As is the green leek + O'er the low grass waxen, + Or a hart high-limbed + Over hurrying deer, + Or glede-red gold + Over grey silver. + + Till me they begrudged, + Those my brethren, + The fate to have him, + Who was first of all men; + Nor might they sleep, + Nor sit a-dooming, + Ere they let slay + My well-loved Sigurd. + + Grani ran to the Thing, + There was clatter to hear, + But never came Sigurd + Himself thereunto; + All the saddle-girt beasts + With blood were besprinkled, + As faint with the way + Neath the slayers they went. + + Then greeting I went + With Grani to talk, + And with tear-furrowed cheeks + I bade him tell all; + But drooping laid Grani, + His head in the grass, + For the steed well wotted + Of his master's slaying. + + A long while I wandered, + Long my mind wavered, + Ere the kings I might ask + Concerning my king. + + Then Gunnar hung head, + But Hogni told + Of the cruel slaying + Of my Sigurd: + "On the water's far side + Lies, smitten to death, + The bane of Guttorm + To the wolves given over. + + "Go, look on Sigurd, + On the ways that go southward, + There shalt thou hear + The ernes high screaming, + The ravens a-croaking + As their meat they crave for; + Thou shalt hear the wolves howling + Over thine husband. + + "How hast thou, Hogni, + The heart to tell me, + Me of joy made empty, + Of such misery? + Thy wretched heart + May the ravens tear + Wide over the world, + With no men mayst thou wend." + + One thing Hogni + Had for answer, + Fallen from his high heart, + Full of all trouble: + "More greeting yet, + O Gudrun, for thee, + If my heart the ravens + Should rend asunder!" + + Thence I turned + From the talk and the trouble + To go a leasing (1) + What the wolves had left me; + No sigh I made + No smote hands together, + Nor did I wail + As other women + When I sat over + My Sigurd slain. + + Night methought it, + And the moonless dark, + When I sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Better than all things + I deemed it would be + If they would let me + Cast my life by, + Or burn me up + As they burn the birch-wood. + + From the fell I wandered + Five days together, + Until the high hall + Of Half lay before me; + Seven seasons there + I sat with Thora, + The daughter of Hacon, + Up in Denmark. + + My heart to gladden + With gold she wrought + Southland halls + And swans of the Dane-folk; + There had we painted + The chiefs a-playing; + Fair our hands wrought + Folk of the kings. + + Red shields we did, + Doughty knights of the Huns, + Hosts spear-dight, hosts helm-dight, + All a high king's fellows; + And the ships of Sigmund + From the land swift sailing; + Heads gilt over + And prows fair graven. + + On the cloth we broidered + That tide of their battling, + Siggeir and Siggar, + South in Fion. + + Then heard Grimhild, + The Queen of Gothland, + How I was abiding, + Weighed down with woe; + And she thrust the cloth from her + And called to her sons, + And oft and eagerly + Asked them thereof, + Who for her son + Would their sister atone, + Who for her lord slain + Would lay down weregild. + + Fain was Gunnar + Gold to lay down + All wrongs to atone for, + And Hogni in likewise; + Then she asked who was fain + Of faring straightly, + The steed to saddle + To set forth the wain, + The horse to back, + And the hawk to fly, + To shoot forth the arrow + From out the yew-bow. + + Valdarr the Dane-king + Came with Jarisleif + Eymod the third went + Then went Jarizskar; + In kingly wise + In they wended, + The host of the Longbeards; + Red cloaks had they, + Byrnies short-cut, + Helms strong hammered, + Girt with glaives, + And hair red-gleaming. + + Each would give me + Gifts desired, + Gifts desired, + Speech dear to my heart, + If they might yet, + Despite my sorrow, + Win back my trust, + But in them nought I trusted. + + Then brought me Grimhild + A beaker to drink of, + Cold and bitter, + Wrong's memory to quench; + Made great was that drink + With the might of the earth, + With the death-cold sea + And the blood that Son (2) holdeth. + + On that horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that mead were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood, + And brown-burnt acorns; + The black dew of the hearth, (3) + And god-doomed dead beasts' inwards + And the swine's liver sodden, + For wrongs late done that deadens. + + Then waned my memory + When that was within me, + Of my lord 'mid the hall + By the iron laid low. + Three kings came + Before my knees + Ere she herself + Fell to speech with me. + + "I will give to thee, Gudrun, + Gold to be glad with, + All the great wealth + Of thy father gone from us, + Rings of red gold + And the great hall of Lodver, + And all fair hangings left + By the king late fallen. + + "Maids of the Huns + Woven pictures to make, + And work fair in gold + Till thou deem'st thyself glad. + Alone shalt thou rule + O'er the riches of Budli, + Shalt be made great with gold, + And be given to Atli." + + "Never will I + Wend to a husband, + Or wed the brother + Of Queen Brynhild; + Naught it beseems me + With the son of Budli + Kin to bring forth, + Or to live and be merry." + + "Nay, the high chiefs + Reward not with hatred, + For take heed that I + Was the first in this tale! + To thy heart shall it be + As if both these had life, + Sigurd and Sigmund, + When thou hast borne sons." + + "Naught may I, Grimhild, + Seek after gladness, + Nor deem aught hopeful + Of any high warrior, + Since wolf and raven + Were friends together, + The greedy, the cruel, + O'er great Sigurd's heart-blood." + + "Of all men that can be + For the noblest of kin + This king have I found, + And the foremost of all; + Him shalt thou have + Till with eld thou art heavy— + Be thou ever unwed, + If thou wilt naught of him!" + + "Nay, nay, bid me not + With thy words long abiding + To take unto me + That balefullest kin; + This king shall bid Gunnar + Be stung to his bane, + And shall cut the heart + From out of Hogni. + + "Nor shall I leave life + Ere the keen lord, + The eager in sword-play, + My hand shall make end of." + + Grimhild a-weeping + Took up the word then, + When the sore bale she wotted + Awaiting her sons, + And the bane hanging over + Her offspring beloved. + + "I will give thee, moreover, + Great lands, many men, + Wineberg and Valberg, + If thou wilt but have them; + Hold them lifelong, + And live happy, O daughter!" + + "Then him must I take + From among kingly men, + 'Gainst my heart's desire, + From the hands of my kinsfolk; + But no joy I look + To have from that lord: + Scarce may my brother's bane + Be a shield to my sons." + + Soon was each warrior + Seen on his horse, + But the Gaulish women + Into wains were gotten; + Then seven days long + O'er a cold land we rode, + And for seven other + Clove we the sea-waves. + But with the third seven + O'er dry land we wended. + + There the gate-wardens + Of the burg, high and wide, + Unlooked the barriers + Ere the burg-garth we rode to— + + ............ + + Atli woke me + When meseemed I was + Full evil of heart + For my kin dead slain. + + "In such wise did the Norns + Wake me or now."— + Fain was he to know + Of this ill foreshowing— + "That methought, O Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That thou setst in my heart + A sword wrought for guile." + + "For fires tokening I deem it + That dreaming of iron, + But for pride and for lust + The wrath of fair women + Against some bale + Belike, I shall burn thee + For thy solace and healing + Though hateful thou art." + + "In the fair garth methought + Had saplings fallen + E'en such as I would + Should have waxen ever; + Uprooted were these, + And reddened with blood, + And borne to the bench, + And folk bade me eat of them. + + "Methought from my hand then + Went hawks a-flying + Lacking their meat + To the land of all ill; + Methought that their hearts + Mingled with honey, + Swollen with blood + I ate amid sorrow. + + "Lo, next two whelps + From my hands I loosened, + Joyless were both, + And both a-howling; + And now their flesh + Became naught but corpses, + Whereof must I eat + But sore against my will." + + "O'er the prey of the fishers + Will folk give doom; + From the bright white fish + The heads will they take; + Within a few nights, + Fey as they are, + A little ere day + Of that draught will they eat." + + "Ne'er since lay I down, + Ne'er since would I sleep, + Hard of heart, in my bed:— + That deed have I to do. (4) +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "a vid lesa". "Leasing" is the word still + used for gleaning in many country sides in England. + (2) Son was the vessel into which was poured the blood of + Quasir, the God of Poetry. + (3) This means soot. + (4) The whole of this latter part is fragmentary and obscure; + there seems wanting to two of the dreams some trivial + interpretation by Gudrun, like those given by Hogni to + Kostbera in the Saga, of which nature, of course, the + interpretation contained in the last stanza but one is, as + we have rendered it: another rendering, from the different + reading of the earlier edition of "Edda" (Copenhagen, 1818) + would make this refer much more directly to the slaying of + her sons by Gudrun. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0054" id="link2H_4_0054"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE SONG OF ATLI. + </h2> + <p> + Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenger her brethren, as is told far and wide; + first she slew the sons of Atli, and then Atli himself; and she burned the + hall thereafter, and all the household with it: and about these matters is + this song made:— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + In days long gone + Sent Atli to Gunnar + A crafty one riding, + Knefrud men called him; + To Giuki's garth came he, + To the hall of Gunnar, + To the benches gay-dight, + And the gladsome drinking. + + There drank the great folk + 'Mid the guileful one's silence, + Drank wine in their fair hall: + The Huns' wrath they feared + When Knefrud cried + In his cold voice, + As he sat on the high seat, + That man of the Southland: + + "Atli has sent me + Riding swift on his errands + On the bit-griping steed + Through dark woodways unbeaten, + To bid thee, King Gunnar, + Come to his fair bench + With helm well-adorned, + To the house of King Atli. + + "Shield shall ye have there + And spears ashen-shafted, + Helms ruddy with gold, + And hosts of the Huns; + Saddle-gear silver gilt, + Shirts red as blood, + The hedge of the warwife, + And horses bit-griping. + + "And he saith he will give you + Gnitaheath widespread, + And whistling spears + And prows well-gilded, + Might wealth + With the stead of Danpi, + And that noble wood + Men name the Murkwood." + + Then Gunnar turned head + And spake unto Hogni: + "What rede from thee, high one, + Since such things we hear? + No gold know I + On Gnitaheath, + That we for our parts + Have not portion as great. + + "Seven halls we have + Fulfilled of swords, + And hilts of gold + Each sword there has; + My horse is the best, + My blade is the keenest; + Fair my bow o'er the bench is, + Gleams my byrny with gold; + Brightest helm, brightest shield, + From Kiar's dwelling ere brought— + Better all things I have + Than all things of the Huns." + + HOGNI SAID: + "What mind has our sister + That a ring she hath sent us + In weed of wolves clad? + Bids she not to be wary? + For a wolf's hair I found + The fair ring wreathed about; + Wolf beset shall the way be + If we wend on this errand." + + No sons whetted Gunnar, + Nor none of his kin, + Nor learned men nor wise men, + Nor such as were mighty. + Then spake Gunnar + E'en as a king should speak, + Glorious in mead-hall + From great heart and high: + + "Rise up now, Fiornir, + Forth down the benches + Let the gold-cups of great ones + Pass in hands of my good-men! + Well shall we drink wine, + Draughts dear to our hearts, + Though the last of all feasts + In our fair house this be! + + "For the wolves shall rule + O'er the wealth of the Niblungs, + With the pine-woods' wardens + In Gunnar perish: + And the black-felled bears + With fierce teeth shall bite + For the glee of the dog kind, + If again comes not Gunnar." + + Then good men never shamed, + Greeting aloud, + Led the great king of men + From the garth of his home; + And cried the fair son + Of Hogni the king: + "Fare happy, O Lords, + Whereso your hearts lead you!" + + Then the bold knights + Let their bit-griping steeds + Wend swift o'er the fells, + Tread the murk-wood unknown, + All the Hunwood was shaking + As the hardy ones fared there; + O'er the green meads they urged + Their steeds shy of the goad. + + Then Atli's land saw they; + Great towers and strong, + And the bold men of Bikki, + Aloft on the burg: + The Southland folks' hall + Set with benches about, + Dight with bucklers well bounden, + And bright white shining shields. + + There drank Atli, + The awful Hun king, + Wine in his fair hall; + Without were the warders, + Gunnar's folk to have heed of, + Lest they had fared thither + With the whistling spear + War to wake 'gainst the king. + + But first came their sister + As they came to the hall, + Both her brethren she met, + With beer little gladdened: + "Bewrayed art thou, Gunnar! + What dost thou great king + To deal war to the Huns? + Go thou swift from the hall! + + Better, brother, hadst thou + Fared here in thy byrny + Than with helm gaily dight + Looked on Atli's great house: + Them hadst sat then in saddle + Through days bright with the sun + Fight to awaken + And fair fields to redden: + + "O'er the folk fate makes pale + Should the Norn's tears have fallen, + The shield mays of the Huns + Should have known of all sorrow; + And King Atli himself + To worm-close should be brought; + But now is the worm-close + Kept but for thee." + + Then spake Gunnar + Great 'mid the people: + "Over-late sister + The Niblungs to summon; + A long way to seek + The helping of warriors, + The high lord unshamed, + From the hills of the Rhine!" + + .............. + + Seven Hogni beat down + With his sword sharp-grinded, + And the eighth man he thrust + Amidst of the fire. + Ever so shall famed warrior + Fight with his foemen, + As Hogni fought + For the hand of Gunnar. + + But on Gunnar they fell, + And set him in fetters, + And bound hard and fast + That friend of Burgundians; + Then the warrior they asked + If he would buy life, + But life with gold + That king of the Goths. + + Nobly spake Gunnar, + Great lord of the Niblungs; + "Hogni's bleeding heart first + Shall lie in mine hand, + Cut from the breast + Of the bold-riding lord, + With bitter-sharp knife + From the son of the king." + + With guile the great one + Would they beguile, + On the wailing thrall + Laid they hand unwares, + And cut the heart + From out of Hjalli, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it to Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler, + Little like the heart + Of Hogni the hardy: + As much as it trembleth + Laid on the trencher + By the half more it trembled + In the breast of him hidden." + + Then laughed Hogni + When they cut the heart from him, + From the crest-smith yet quick, + Little thought he to quail. + The hard acorn of thought + From the high king they took, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hogni the hardy, + Little like to the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler. + Howso little it quaketh + Laid here on the dish, + Yet far less it quaked + In the breast of him laid. + + "So far mayst thou bide + From men's eyen, O Atli, + As from that treasure + Thou shalt abide! + + "Behold in my heart + Is hidden for ever + That hoard of the Niblungs, + Now Hogni is dead. + Doubt threw me two ways + While the twain of us lived, + But all that is gone + Now I live on alone. + + "The great Rhine shall rule + O'er the hate-raising treasure, + That gold of the Niblungs, + The seed of the gods: + In the weltering water + Shall that wealth lie a-gleaming, + Or it shine on the hands + Of the children of Huns!" + + Then cried Atli, + King of the Hun-folk, + "Drive forth your wains now + The slave is fast bounden." + And straightly thence + The bit-shaking steeds + Drew the hoard-warden, + The war-god to his death. + + Atli the great king, + Rode upon Glaum, + With shields set round about, + And sharp thorns of battle: + Gudrun, bound by wedlock + To these, victory made gods of, + Held back her tears + As the hall she ran into. + + "Let it fare with thee, Atli, + E'en after thine oaths sworn + To Gunnar fell often; + Yea, oaths sworn of old time, + By the sun sloping southward, + By the high burg of Sigry, + By the fair bed of rest, + By the red ring of Ull!" + + Now a host of men + Cast the high king alive + Into a close + Crept o'er within + With most foul worms, + Fulfilled of all venom, + Ready grave to dig + In his doughty heart. + + Wrathful-hearted he smote + The harp with his hand, + Gunnar laid there alone; + And loud rang the strings.— + In such wise ever + Should hardy ring-scatterer + Keep gold from all folk + In the garth of his foeman. + + Then Atli would wend + About his wide land, + On his steed brazen shod, + Back from the murder. + Din there was in the garth, + All thronged with the horses; + High the weapon-song rose + From men come from the heath. + + Out then went Gudrun, + 'Gainst Atli returning, + With a cup gilded over, + To greet the land's ruler; + "Come, then, and take it, + King glad in thine hall, + From Gudrun's hands, + For the hell-farers groan not!" + + Clashed the beakers of Atli, + Wine-laden on bench, + As in hall there a-gathered, + The Huns fell a-talking, + And the long-bearded eager ones + Entered therein, + From a murk den new-come, + From the murder of Gunnar. + + Then hastened the sweet-faced + Delight of the shield-folk, + Bright in the fair hall, + Wine to bear to them: + The dreadful woman + Gave dainties withal + To the lords pale with fate, + Laid strange word upon Atli: + + "The hearts of thy sons + Hast thou eaten, sword-dealer, + All bloody with death + And drenched with honey: + In most heavy mood + Brood o'er venison of men! + Drink rich draughts therewith, + Down the high benches send it! + + "Never callest thou now + From henceforth to thy knee + Fair Erp or fair Eiril, + Bright-faced with the drink; + Never seest thou them now + Amidmost the seat, + Scattering the gold, + Or shafting of spears; + Manes trimming duly, + Or driving steeds forth!" + + Din arose from the benches, + Dread song of men was there, + Noise 'mid the fair hangings, + As all Hun's children wept; + All saving Gudrun, + Who never gat greeting, + For her brethren bear-hardy + For her sweet sons and bright, + The young ones, the simple + Once gotten with Atli. + + ............... + + The seed of gold + Sowed the swan-bright woman, + Rings of red gold + She gave to the house-carls; + Fate let she wax, + Let the bright gold flow forth, + In naught spared that woman + The store-houses' wealth. + + Atli unaware + Was a-weary with drink; + No weapon had he, + No heeding of Gudrun— + Ah, the pity would be better, + When in soft wise they twain + Would full often embrace + Before the great lords! + + To the bed with sword-point + Blood gave she to drink + With a hand fain of death, + And she let the dogs loose: + Then in from the hall-door— + —Up waked the house-carls— + Hot brands she cast, + Gat revenge for her brethren. + + To the flame gave she all + Who therein might be found; + Fell adown the old timbers, + Reeked all treasure-houses; + There the shield-mays were burnt, + Their lives' span brought to naught; + In the fierce fire sank down + All the stead of the Budlungs. + + Wide told of is this— + Ne'er sithence in the world, + Thus fared bride clad in byrny + For her brothers' avenging; + For behold, this fair woman + To three kings of the people, + Hath brought very death + Or ever she died! +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0055" id="link2H_4_0055"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN. + </h2> + <p> + Gudrun went down unto the sea whenas she had slain Atli, and she cast + herself therein, for she was fain to end her life: but nowise might she + drown. She drave over the firths to the land of King Jonakr, and he wedded + her, and their sons were Sorli, and Erp, and Hamdir, and there was + Swanhild, Sigurd's daughter, nourished: and she was given to Jormunrek the + Mighty. Now Bikki was a man of his, and gave such counsel to Randver, the + king's son, as that he should take her; and with that counsel were the + young folk well content. + </p> + <p> + Then Bikki told the king, and the king let hang Randver, but bade Swanhild + be trodden under horses' feet. But when Gudrun heard thereof, she spake to + her sons— + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Words of strife heard I, + Huger than any, + Woeful words spoken, + Sprung from all sorrow, + When Gudrun fierce-hearted + With the grimmest of words + Whetter her sons + Unto the slaying. + + "Why are ye sitting here? + Why sleep ye life away? + Why doth it grieve you nought? + Glad words to speak, + Now when your sister— + Young of years was she— + Has Jormunrek trodden + With the treading of horses?— + + "Black horses and white + In the highway of warriors; + Grey horses that know + The roads of the Goths.— + + "Little like are ye grown + To that Gunnar of old days! + Nought are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your mood were in aught + As the mood of my brethren, + Or the hardy hearts + Of the Kings of the Huns!" + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted— + "Little didst thou + Praise Hogni's doings, + When Sigurd woke + From out of sleep, + And the blue-white bed-gear + Upon thy bed + Grew red with man's blood— + With the blood of thy mate! + + "Too baleful vengeance + Wroughtest thou for thy brethren + Most sore and evil + When thy sons thou slewedst, + Else all we together + On Jormunrek + Had wrought sore vengeance + For that our sister. + + "Come, bring forth quickly + The Hun kings' bright gear, + Since thou has urged us + Unto the sword-Thing!" + + Laughing went Gudrun + To the bower of good gear, + Kings' crested helms + From chests she drew, + And wide-wrought byrnies + Bore to her sons: + Then on their horses + Load laid the heroes. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted— + "Never cometh again + His mother to see + The spear-god laid low + In the land of the Goths. + That one arvel mayst thou + For all of us drink, + For sister Swanhild, + And us thy sons." + + Greeted Gudrun + Giuki's daughter; + Sorrowing she went + In the forecourt to sit, + That she might tell, + With cheeks tear-furrowed, + Her weary wail + In many a wise. + + "Three fires I knew, + Three hearths I knew, + To three husbands' houses + Have I been carried; + And better than all + Had been Sigurd alone, + He whom my brethren + Brought to his bane. + + "Such sore grief as that + Methought never should be, + Yet more indeed + Was left for my torment + Then, when the great ones + Gave me to Atli. + + "My fair bright boys + I bade unto speech, + Nor yet might I win + Weregild for my bale, + Ere I had hewn off + Those Niblungs' heads. + + "To the sea-strand I went + With the Norns sorely wroth, + For I would thrust from me + The storm of their torment; + But the high billows + Would not drown, but bore me + Forth, till I stepped a-land + Longer to live. + + "Then I went a-bed— + —Ah, better in the old days, + This was the third time!— + To a king of the people; + Offspring I brought forth, + Props of a fair house, + Props of a fair house, + Jonakr's fair sons. + + "But around Swanhild + Bond-maidens sat, + Her, that of all mine + Most to my heart was; + Such was my Swanhild, + In my hall's midmost, + As is the sunbeam + Fair to beheld. + + "In gold I arrayed her, + And goodly raiment, + Or ever I gave her + To the folk of the Goths. + That was the hardest + Of my heavy woes, + When the bright hair,— + O the bright hair of Swanhild!— + In the mire was trodden + By the treading of horses. + + "This was the sorest, + When my love, my Sigurd, + Reft of glory + In his bed gat ending: + But this the grimmest + When glittering worms + Tore their way + Through the heart of Gunnar. + + "But this the keenest + When they cut to the quick + Of the hardy heart + Of the unfeared Hogni. + Of much of bale I mind me, + Of many griefs I mind me; + Why should I sit abiding + Yet more bale and more? + + "Thy coal-black horse, + O Sigurd, bridle, + The swift on the highway! + O let him speed hither! + Here sitteth no longer + Son or daughter, + More good gifts + To give to Gudrun! + + "Mindst thou not, Sigurd, + Of the speech betwixt us, + When on one bed + We both sat together, + O my great king— + That thou wouldst come to me + E'en from the hall of Hell, + I to thee from the fair earth? + + "Pile high, O earls + The oaken pile, + Let it be the highest + That ever queen had! + Let the fire burn swift, + My breast with woe laden, + And thaw all my heart, + Hard, heavy with sorrow!" + + Now may all earls + Be bettered in mind, + May the grief of all maidens + Ever be minished, + For this tale of sorrow + So told to its ending. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0056" id="link2H_4_0056"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE LAY OF HAMDIR + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + Great deeds of bale + In the garth began, + At the sad dawning + The tide of Elves' sorrow + When day is a-waxing + And man's grief awaketh, + And the sorrow of each one + The early day quickeneth. + + Not now, not now, + Nor yesterday, + But long ago + Has that day worn by, + That ancientest time, + The first time to tell of, + Then, whenas Gudrun, + Born of Giuki, + Whetter her sons + To Swanhild's avenging. + + "Your sister's name + Was naught but Swanhild, + Whom Jormunrek + With horses has trodden!— + White horses and black + On the war-beaten way, + Grey horses that go + On the roads of the Goths. + + "All alone am I now + As in holt is the aspen; + As the fir-tree of boughs, + So of kin am I bare; + As bare of things longed for + As the willow of leaves + When the bough-breaking wind + The warm day endeth. + + "Few, sad, are ye left + O kings of my folk! + Yet alone living + Last shreds of my kin! + + "Ah, naught are ye grown + As that Gunnar of old days; + Naught are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your hearts were in aught + As the hearts of my brethren!" + + Then spake Hamdir + The high-hearted: + "Nought hadst thou to praise + The doings of Hogni, + When they woke up Sigurd + From out of slumber, + And in bed thou sat'st up + 'Mid the banes-men's laughter. + + "Then when thy bed=gear, + Blue-white, well woven + By art of craftsmen + All swam with thy king's blood; + The Sigurd died, + O'er his dead corpse thou sattest, + Not heeding aught gladsome, + Since Gunnar so willed it. + + "Great grief for Atli + Gatst thou by Erp's murder, + And the end of thine Eitil, + But worse grief for thyself. + Good to use sword + For the slaying of others + In such wise that its edge + Shall not turn on ourselves!" + + Then well spake Sorli + From a heart full of wisdom: + "No words will I + Make with my mother, + Though both ye twain + Need words belike— + What askest thou, Gudrun, + To let thee go greeting? + + "Weep for thy brethren, + Weep for thy sweet sons, + And thy nighest kinsfolk + Laid by the fight-side! + Yea, and thou Gudrun, + May'st greet for us twain + Sitting fey on our steeds + Doomed in far lands to die." + + From the garth forth they went + With hearts full of fury, + Sorli and Hamdir, + The sons of Gudrun, + And they met on the way + The wise in all wiles: + "And thou little Erp, + What helping from thee?" + + He of alien womb + Spake out in such wise: + "Good help for my kin, + Such as foot gives to foot, + Or flesh-covered hand + Gives unto hand!" + + "What helping for foot + That help that foot giveth, + Or for flesh-covered hand + The helping of hand?" + + Then spake Erp + Yet once again + Mock spake the prince + As he sat on his steed: + "Fool's deed to show + The way to a dastard!" + "Bold beyond measure," + Quoth they, "is the base-born!" + + Out from the sheath + Drew they the sheath-steel, + And the glaives' edges played + For the pleasure of hell; + By the third part they minished + The might that they had, + Their young kin they let lie + A-cold on the earth. + + Then their fur-cloaks they shook + And bound fast their swords, + In webs goodly woven + Those great ones were clad; + Young they went o'er the fells + Where the dew was new-fallen + Swift, on steeds of the Huns, + Heavy vengeance to wreak. + + Forth stretched the ways, + And an ill way they found, + Yea, their sister's son (1) + Hanging slain upon tree— + Wolf-trees by the wind made cold + At the town's westward + Loud with cranes' clatter— + Ill abiding there long! + + Din in the king's hall + Of men merry with drink, + And none might hearken + The horses' tramping + Or ever the warders + Their great horn winded. + + Then men went forth + To Jormunrek + To tell of the heeding + Of men under helm: + "Give ye good counsel! + Great ones are come hither, + For the wrong of men mighty + Was the may to death trodden." + + "Loud Jormunrek laughed, + And laid hand to his beard, + Nor bade bring his byrny, + But with the wine fighting, + Shook his red locks, + On his white shield sat staring, + And in his hand + Swung the gold cup on high. + + "Sweet sight for me + Those twain to set eyes on, + Sorli and Hamdir, + Here in my hall! + Then with bowstrings + Would I bind them, + And hang the good Giukings + Aloft on the gallows!" + + .............. + + Then spake Hrothglod + From off the high steps, + Spake the slim-fingered + Unto her son,— + —For a threat was cast forth + Of what ne'er should fall— + "Shall two men alone + Two hundred Gothfolk + Bind or bear down + In the midst of their burg?" + + ............... + + Strife and din in the hall, + Cups smitten asunder + Men lay low in blood + From the breasts of Goths flowing. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted: + "Thou cravedst, O king, + From the coming of us, + The sons of one mother, + Amidmost thine hall— + Look on these hands of thine, + Look on these feet of thine, + Cast by us, Jormunrek, + On to the flame!" + + Then cried aloud + The high Gods' kinsman (2) + Bold under byrny,— + Roared he as bears roar; + "Stones to the stout ones + That the spears bite not, + Nor the edges of steel, + These sons of Jonakr!" + + .............. + + QUOTH SORLI: + "Bale, brother, wroughtst thou + By that bag's (3) opening, + Oft from that bag + Rede of bale cometh! + Heart hast thou, Hamdir, + If thou hadst heart's wisdom + Great lack in a man + Who lacks wisdom and lore!" + + HAMDIR SAID: + "Yes, off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold + Whom we slew by the way; + The far-famed through the world— + Ah, the fares drave me on, + And the man war made holy, + There must I slay!" + + SORLI SAID: + "Unmeet we should do + As the doings of wolves are, + Raising wrong each 'gainst other + As the dogs of the Norns, + The greedy ones nourished + In waste steads of the world. + + In strong wise have we fought, + On Goths' corpses we stand, + Beat down by our edges, + E'en as ernes on the bough. + Great fame our might winneth, + Die we now, or to-morrow,— + No man lives till eve + Whom the fates doom at morning." + At the hall's gable-end + Fell Sorli to earth, + But Hamdir lay low + At the back of the houses. +</pre> + <p> + Now this is called the Ancient Lay of Hamdir. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Randver, the son of their sister's husband. + (2) Odin, namely. + (3) "Bag", his mouth. +</pre> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0057" id="link2H_4_0057"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + THE LAMENT OF ODDRUN. + </h2> + <p> + There was a king hight Heidrik, and his daughter was called Borgny, and + the name of her lover was Vilmund. Now she might nowise be made lighter of + a child she travailed with, before Oddrun, Atil's sister, came to her,—she + who had been the love of Gunnar, Giuki's son. But of their speech together + has this been sung: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + I have hear tell + In ancient tales + How a may there came + To Morna-land, + Because no man + On mould abiding + For Heidrik's daughter + Might win healing. + + All that heard Oddrun, + Atil's sister, + How that the damsel + Had heavy sickness, + So she led from stall + Her bridled steed, + And on the swart one + Laid the saddle. + + She made her horse wend + O'er smooth ways of earth, + Until to a high-built + Hall she came; + Then the saddle she had + From the hungry horse, + And her ways wended + In along the wide hall, + And this word first + Spake forth therewith: + + "What is most famed, + Afield in Hunland, + Or what may be + Blithest in Hunland?" + + QUOTH THE HANDMAID: + "Here lieth Borgny, + Borne down by trouble, + Thy sweet friend, O Oddrun, + See to her helping!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Who of the lords + Hath laid this grief on her, + Why is the anguish + Of Borgny so weary?" + + THE HANDMAID SAID: + "He is hight Vilmund, + Friend of hawk-bearers, + He wrapped the damsel + In the warm bed-gear + Five winters long + Without her father's wotting." + + No more than this + They spake methinks; + Kind sat she down + By the damsel's knee; + Mightily sand Oddrun, + Sharp piercing songs + By Borgny's side: + + Till a maid and a boy + Might tread on the world's ways, + Blithe babes and sweet + Of Hogni's bane: + Then the damsel forewearied + The word took up, + The first word of all + That had won from her: + + "So may help thee + All helpful things, + Fey and Freyia, + And all the fair Gods, + As thou hast thrust + This torment from me!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Yet no heart had I + For thy helping, + Since never wert thou + Worthy of helping, + But my word I held to, + That of old was spoken + When the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + That every soul + I would ever help." + + BORGNY SAID: + "Right mad art thou, Oddrun, + And reft of thy wits, + Whereas thou speakest + Hard words to me + Thy fellow ever + Upon the earth + As of brothers twain, + We had been born." + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Well I mind me yet, + What thou saidst that evening, + Whenas I bore forth + Fair drink for Gunnar; + Such a thing, saidst thou, + Should fall out never, + For any may + Save for me alone." + + Mind had the damsel + Of the weary day + Whenas the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + And she sat her down, + The sorrowful woman, + To tell of the bale, + And the heavy trouble. + + "Nourished was I + In the hall of kings— + Most folk were glad— + 'Mid the council of great ones: + In fair life lived I, + And the wealth of my father + For five winters only, + While yet he had life. + + "Such were the last words + That ever he spake, + The king forewearied, + Ere his ways he went; + For he bade folk give me + The gold red-gleaming, + And give me in Southlands + To the son of Grimhild. + + "But Brynhild he bade + To the helm to betake her, + And said that Death-chooser + She should become; + And that no better + Might ever be born + Into the world, + If fate would not spoil it. + + "Brynhild in bower + Sewed at her broidery, + Folk she had + And fair lands about her; + Earth lay a-sleeping, + Slept the heavens aloft + When Fafnir's-bane + The burg first saw. + + "Then was war waged + With the Welsh-wrought sword + And the burg all broken + That Brynhild owned; + Nor wore long space, + E'en as well might be, + Ere all those wiles + Full well she knew. + + "Hard and dreadful + Was the vengeance she drew down, + So that all we + Have woe enow. + Through all lands of the world + Shall that story fare forth + How she did her to death + For the death of Sigurd. + + "But therewithal Gunnar + The gold-scatterer + Did I fall to loving + And should have loved him. + Rings of red gold + Would they give to Atli, + Would give to my brother + Things goodly and great. + + "Yea, fifteen steads + Would they give for me, + And the load of Grani + To have as a gift; + But then spake Atli, + That such was his will, + Never gift to take + From the sons of Giuki. + + "But we in nowise + Might love withstand, + And mine head must I lay + On my love, the ring-breaker; + And many there were + Among my kin, + Who said that they + Had seen us together. + + "Then Atli said + That I surely never + Would fall to crime + Or shameful folly: + But now let no one + For any other, + That shame deny + Where love has dealing. + + "For Atli sent + His serving-folk + Wide through the murkwood + Proof to win of me, + And thither they came + Where they ne'er should have come, + Where one bed we twain + Had dight betwixt us. + + "To those men had we given + Rings of red gold, + Naught to tell + Thereof to Atli, + But straight they hastened + Home to the house, + And all the tale + To Atli told. + + 'Whereas from Gudrun + Well they hid it, + Though better by half + Had she have known it. + + ................ + + "Din was there to hear + Of the hoofs gold-shod, + When into the garth + Rode the sons of Giuki. + + "There from Hogni + The heart they cut, + But into the worm-close + Cast the other. + There the king, the wise-hearted, + Swept his harp-strings, + For the might king + Had ever mind + That I to his helping + Soon should come. + + "But now was I gone + Yet once again + Unto Geirmund, + Good feast to make; + Yet had I hearing, + E'en out from Hlesey, + How of sore trouble + The harp-strings sang. + + "So I bade the bondmaids + Be ready swiftly, + For I listed to save + The life of the king, + And we let our ship + Swim over the sound, + Till Atli's dwelling + We saw all clearly. + + Then came the wretch (1) + Crawling out, + E'en Atli's mother, + All sorrow upon her! + A grave gat her sting + In the heart of Gunnar, + So that no helping + Was left for my hero. + + "O gold-clad woman, + Full oft I wonder + How I my life + Still hold thereafter, + For methought I loved + That light in battle, + The swift with the sword, + As my very self. + + "Thou hast sat and hearkened + As I have told thee + Of many an ill-fate, + Mine and theirs— + Each man liveth + E'en as he may live— + Now hath gone forth + The greeting of Oddrun." +</pre> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + ENDNOTES: + (1) Atli's mother took the form of the only adder that was not + lulled to sleep by Gunnar's harp-playing, and who slew him. +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga +Saga), by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS *** + +***** This file should be named 1152-h.htm or 1152-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/1152/ + +Produced by Douglas B. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) + With Excerpts from the Poetic Edda + +Author: Anonymous + +Release Date: December, 1997 [EBook #1152] +Posting Date: August 7, 2008 +Last Updated: October 25, 2008 + + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS *** + + + + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings + + + + + +THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS, (VOLSUNGA SAGA) + +WITH EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA + +By Anonymous + + + +Originally written in Icelandic (Old Norse) in the thirteenth century +A.D., by an unknown hand. However, most of the material is based +substantially on previous works, some centuries older. A few of these +works have been preserved in the collection of Norse poetry known as the +"Poetic Edda". + +The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Story of +the Volsungs", translated by William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson (Walter +Scott Press, London, 1888). + +Douglas B. Killings + + +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +RECOMMENDED READING-- + +Anonymous: "Kudrun", Translated by Marion E. Gibbs & Sidney Johnson +(Garland Pub., New York, 1992). + +Anonymous: "Nibelungenlied", Translated by A.T. Hatto (Penguin Classics, +London, 1962). + +Saxo Grammaticus: "The First Nine Books of the Danish History", +Translated by Oliver Elton (London, 1894; Reissued by the Online +Medieval and Classical Library as E-Text OMACL #28, 1997). + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +It would seem fitting for a Northern folk, deriving the greater and +better part of their speech, laws, and customs from a Northern root, +that the North should be to them, if not a holy land, yet at least +a place more to be regarded than any part of the world beside; that +howsoever their knowledge widened of other men, the faith and deeds of +their forefathers would never lack interest for them, but would always +be kept in remembrance. One cause after another has, however, aided +in turning attention to classic men and lands at the cost of our own +history. Among battles, "every schoolboy" knows the story of Marathon +or Salamis, while it would be hard indeed to find one who did more than +recognise the name, if even that, of the great fights of Hafrsfirth or +Sticklestead. The language and history of Greece and Rome, their laws +and religions, have been always held part of the learning needful to an +educated man, but no trouble has been taken to make him familiar with +his own people or their tongue. Even that Englishman who knew Alfred, +Bede, Caedmon, as well as he knew Plato, Caesar, Cicero, or Pericles, +would be hard bestead were he asked about the great peoples from whom +we sprang; the warring of Harold Fairhair or Saint Olaf; the Viking +(1) kingdoms in these (the British) Western Isles; the settlement of +Iceland, or even of Normandy. The knowledge of all these things would +now be even smaller than it is among us were it not that there was one +land left where the olden learning found refuge and was kept in being. +In England, Germany, and the rest of Europe, what is left of the +traditions of pagan times has been altered in a thousand ways by foreign +influence, even as the peoples and their speech have been by the influx +of foreign blood; but Iceland held to the old tongue that was once the +universal speech of northern folk, and held also the great stores of +tale and poem that are slowly becoming once more the common heritage of +their descendants. The truth, care, and literary beauty of its records; +the varied and strong life shown alike in tale and history; and the +preservation of the old speech, character, and tradition--a people +placed apart as the Icelanders have been--combine to make valuable what +Iceland holds for us. Not before 1770, when Bishop Percy translated +Mallet's "Northern Antiquities", was anything known here of Icelandic, +or its literature. Only within the latter part of this century has it +been studied, and in the brief book-list at the end of this volume may +be seen the little that has been done as yet. It is, however, becoming +ever clearer, and to an increasing number, how supremely important is +Icelandic as a word-hoard to the English-speaking peoples, and that in +its legend, song, and story there is a very mine of noble and pleasant +beauty and high manhood. That which has been done, one may hope, is but +the beginning of a great new birth, that shall give back to our language +and literature all that heedlessness and ignorance bid fair for awhile +to destroy. + +The Scando-Gothic peoples who poured southward and westward over +Europe, to shake empires and found kingdoms, to meet Greek and Roman +in conflict, and levy tribute everywhere, had kept up their +constantly-recruited waves of incursion, until they had raised a barrier +of their own blood. It was their own kin, the sons of earlier +invaders, who stayed the landward march of the Northmen in the time of +Charlemagne. To the Southlands their road by land was henceforth closed. +Then begins the day of the Vikings, who, for two hundred years and more, +"held the world at ransom." Under many and brave leaders they first +of all came round the "Western Isles" (2) toward the end of the eighth +century; soon after they invaded Normandy, and harried the coasts of +France; gradually they lengthened their voyages until there was no shore +of the then known world upon which they were unseen or unfelt. A glance +at English history will show the large part of it they fill, and how +they took tribute from the Anglo-Saxons, who, by the way, were far +nearer kin to them than is usually thought. In Ireland, where the old +civilisation was falling to pieces, they founded kingdoms at Limerick +and Dublin among other places; (3) the last named, of which the first +king, Olaf the White, was traditionally descended of Sigurd the Volsung, +(4) endured even to the English invasion, when it was taken by men of +the same Viking blood a little altered. What effect they produced +upon the natives may be seen from the description given by the unknown +historian of the "Wars of the Gaedhil with the Gaill": "In a word, +although there were an hundred hard-steeled iron heads on one neck, +and an hundred sharp, ready, cool, never-rusting brazen tongues in each +head, and an hundred garrulous, loud, unceasing voices from each tongue, +they could not recount, or narrate, or enumerate, or tell what all the +Gaedhil suffered in common--both men and women, laity and clergy, +old and young, noble and ignoble--of hardship, and of injury, and of +oppression, in every house, from these valiant, wrathful, purely pagan +people. Even though great were this cruelty, oppression, and tyranny, +though numerous were the oft-victorious clans of the many-familied +Erinn; though numerous their kings, and their royal chiefs, and their +princes; though numerous their heroes and champions, and their brave +soldiers, their chiefs of valour and renown and deeds of arms; yet not +one of them was able to give relief, alleviation, or deliverance from +that oppression and tyranny, from the numbers and multitudes, and +the cruelty and the wrath of the brutal, ferocious, furious, untamed, +implacable hordes by whom that oppression was inflicted, because of the +excellence of their polished, ample, treble, heavy, trusty, glittering +corslets; and their hard, strong, valiant swords; and their well-riveted +long spears, and their ready, brilliant arms of valour besides; and +because of the greatness of their achievements and of their deeds, their +bravery, and their valour, their strength, and their venom, and their +ferocity, and because of the excess of their thirst and their hunger for +the brave, fruitful, nobly-inhabited, full of cataracts, rivers, bays, +pure, smooth-plained, sweet grassy land of Erinn"--(pp. 52-53). Some +part of this, however, must be abated, because the chronicler is +exalting the terror-striking enemy that he may still further exalt his +own people, the Dal Cais, who did so much under Brian Boroimhe to check +the inroads of the Northmen. When a book does (5) appear, which has +been announced these ten years past, we shall have more material for +the reconstruction of the life of those times than is now anywhere +accessible. Viking earldoms also were the Orkneys, Faroes, and +Shetlands. So late as 1171, in the reign of Henry II., the year after +Beckett's murder, Earl Sweyn Asleifsson of Orkney, who had long been the +terror of the western seas, "fared a sea-roving" and scoured the western +coast of England, Man, and the east of Ireland, but was killed in an +attack on his kinsmen of Dublin. He had used to go upon a regular plan +that may be taken as typical of the homely manner of most of his like +in their cruising: "Sweyn had in the spring hard work, and made them +lay down very much seed, and looked much after it himself. But when +that toil was ended, he fared away every spring on a viking-voyage, and +harried about among the southern isles and Ireland, and came home after +midsummer. That he called spring-viking. Then he was at home until the +corn-fields were reaped down, and the grain seen to and stored. Then +he fared away on a viking-voyage, and then he did not come home till the +winter was one month off, and that he called his autumn-viking." (6) + +Toward the end of the ninth century Harold Fairhair, either spurred +by the example of Charlemagne, or really prompted, as Snorri Sturluson +tells us, resolved to bring all Norway under him. As Snorri has it in +"Heimskringla": "King Harold sent his men to a girl hight Gyda.... The +king wanted her for his leman; for she was wondrous beautiful but of +high mood withal. Now when the messengers came there and gave their +message to her, she made answer that she would not throw herself away +even to take a king for her husband, who swayed no greater kingdom than +a few districts; 'And methinks,' said she, 'it is a marvel that no king +here in Norway will put all the land under him, after the fashion that +Gorm the Old did in Denmark, or Eric at Upsala.' The messengers deemed +this a dreadfully proud-spoken answer, and asked her what she thought +would come of such an one, for Harold was so mighty a man that his +asking was good enough for her. But although she had replied to their +saying otherwise than they would, they saw no likelihood, for this +while, of bearing her along with them against her will, so they made +ready to fare back again. When they were ready and the folk followed +them out, Gyda said to the messengers--'Now tell to King Harold these my +words:--I will only agree to be his lawful wife upon the condition that +he shall first, for sake of me, put under him the whole of Norway, so +that he may bear sway over that kingdom as freely and fully as King +Eric over the realm of Sweden, or King Gorm over Denmark; for only then, +methinks, can he be called king of a people.' Now his men came back to +King Harold, bringing him the words of the girl, and saying she was so +bold and heedless that she well deserved the king should send a greater +troop of people for her, and put her to some disgrace. Then answered the +king. 'This maid has not spoken or done so much amiss that she should +be punished, but the rather should she be thanked for her words. She has +reminded me,' said he, 'of somewhat that it seems wonderful I did not +think of before. And now,' added he, 'I make the solemn vow, and take +who made me and rules over all things, to witness that never shall I +clip or comb my hair until I have subdued all Norway with scatt, and +duties, and lordships; or, if not, have died in the seeking.' Guttorm +gave great thanks to the king for his oath, saying it was "royal work +fulfilling royal rede." The new and strange government that Harold tried +to enforce--nothing less than the feudal system in a rough guise --which +made those who had hitherto been their own men save at special times, +the king's men at all times, and laid freemen under tax, was withstood +as long as might be by the sturdy Norsemen. It was only by dint of hard +fighting that he slowly won his way, until at Hafrsfirth he finally +crushed all effective opposition. But the discontented, "and they were a +great multitude," fled oversea to the outlands, Iceland, the Faroes, the +Orkneys, and Ireland. The whole coast of Europe, even to Greece and the +shores of the Black Sea, the northern shores of Africa, and the western +part of Asia, felt the effects also. Rolf Pad-th'-hoof, son of Harold's +dear friend Rognvald, made an outlaw for a cattle-raid within the bounds +of the kingdom, betook himself to France, and, with his men, founded a +new people and a dynasty. + +Iceland had been known for a good many years, but its only dwellers had +been Irish Culdees, who sought that lonely land to pray in peace. Now, +however, both from Norway and the Western Isles settlers began to come +in. Aud, widow of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, came, bringing with +her many of mixed blood, for the Gaedhil (pronounced "Gael", Irish) and +the Gaill (pronounced "Gaul", strangers) not only fought furiously, but +made friends firmly, and often intermarried. Indeed, the Westmen were +among the first arrivals, and took the best parts of the island--on its +western shore, appropriately enough. After a time the Vikings who had +settled in the Isles so worried Harold and his kingdom, upon which they +swooped every other while, that he drew together a mighty force, and +fell upon them wheresoever he could find them, and followed them up with +fire and sword; and this he did twice, so that in those lands none could +abide but folk who were content to be his men, however lightly they +might hold their allegiance. Hence it was to Iceland that all turned +who held to the old ways, and for over sixty years from the first comer +there was a stream of hardy men pouring in, with their families and +their belongings, simple yeomen, great and warwise chieftains, rich +landowners, who had left their land "for the overbearing of King +Harold," as the "Landnamabok" (7) has it. "There also we shall escape +the troubling of kings and scoundrels", says the "Vatsdaelasaga". So +much of the best blood left Norway that the king tried to stay the leak +by fines and punishments, but in vain. + +As his ship neared the shore, the new-coming chief would leave it to +the gods as to where he settled. The hallowed pillars of the high seat, +which were carried away from his old abode, were thrown overboard, with +certain rites, and were let drive with wind and wave until they came +ashore. The piece of land which lay next the beach they were flung upon +was then viewed from the nearest hill-summit, and place of the homestead +picked out. Then the land was hallowed by being encircled with fire, +parcelled among the band, and marked out with boundary-signs; the houses +were built, the "town" or home-field walled in, a temple put up, and the +settlement soon assumed shape. In 1100 there were 4500 franklins, making +a population of about 50,000, fully three-fourths of whom had a strong +infusion of Celtic blood in them. The mode of life was, and is, rather +pastoral than aught else. In the 39,200 square miles of the island's +area there are now about 250 acres of cultivated land, and although +there has been much more in times past, the Icelanders have always been +forced to reckon upon flocks and herds as their chief resources, grain +of all kinds, even rye, only growing in a few favoured places, and very +rarely there; the hay, self-sown, being the only certain harvest. On +the coast fishing and fowling were of help, but nine-tenths of the folk +lived by their sheep and cattle. Potatoes, carrots, turnips, and several +kinds of cabbage have, however, been lately grown with success. They +produced their own food and clothing, and could export enough wool, +cloth, horn, dried fish, etc., as enabled them to obtain wood for +building, iron for tools, honey, wine, grain, etc, to the extent of +their simple needs. Life and work was lotted by the seasons and +their changes; outdoor work--fishing, herding, hay-making, and +fuel-getting--filling the long days of summer, while the long, dark +winter was used in weaving and a hundred indoor crafts. The climate is +not so bad as might be expected, seeing that the island touches the +polar circle, the mean temperature at Reykjavik being 39 degrees. + +The religion which the settlers took with them into Iceland--the +ethnic religion of the Norsefolk, which fought its last great fight at +Sticklestead, where Olaf Haraldsson lost his life and won the name of +Saint--was, like all religions, a compound of myths, those which had +survived from savage days, and those which expressed the various degrees +of a growing knowledge of life and better understanding of nature. Some +historians and commentators are still fond of the unscientific method of +taking a later religion, in this case christianity, and writing down all +apparently coincident parts of belief, as having been borrowed from the +christian teachings by the Norsefolk, while all that remain they lump +under some slighting head. Every folk has from the beginning of time +sought to explain the wonders of nature, and has, after its own fashion, +set forth the mysteries of life. The lowest savage, no less than his +more advanced brother, has a philosophy of the universe by which he +solves the world-problem to his own satisfaction, and seeks to reconcile +his conduct with his conception of the nature of things. Now, it is not +to be thought, save by "a priori" reasoners, that such a folk as the +Northmen--a mighty folk, far advanced in the arts of life, imaginative, +literary--should have had no further creed than the totemistic myths +of their primitive state; a state they have wholly left ere they enter +history. Judging from universal analogy, the religion of which record +remains to us was just what might be looked for at the particular stage +of advancement the Northmen had reached. Of course something may have +been gained from contact with other peoples--from the Greeks during the +long years in which the northern races pressed upon their frontier; from +the Irish during the existence of the western viking-kingdoms; but what +I particularly warn young students against is the constant effort of +a certain order of minds to wrest facts into agreement with their pet +theories of religion or what not. The whole tendency of the more modern +investigation shows that the period of myth-transmission is long over +ere history begins. The same confusion of different stages of +myth-making is to be found in the Greek religion, and indeed in those of +all peoples; similar conditions of mind produce similar practices, apart +from all borrowing of ideas and manners; in Greece we find snake-dances, +bear-dances, swimming with sacred pigs, leaping about in imitation of +wolves, dog-feasts, and offering of dogs' flesh to the gods--all of them +practices dating from crude savagery, mingled with ideas of exalted and +noble beauty, but none now, save a bigot, would think of accusing the +Greeks of having stolen all their higher beliefs. Even were some part of +the matter of their myths taken from others, yet the Norsemen have given +their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, and placed them upon a high +level that is all their own. (8) From the prose Edda the following +all too brief statement of the salient points of Norse belief is made +up:--"The first and eldest of gods is hight Allfather; he lives from +all ages, and rules over all his realm, and sways all things great and +small; he smithied heaven and earth, and the lift, and all that belongs +to them; what is most, he made man, and gave him a soul that shall live +and never perish; and all men that are right-minded shall live and be +with himself in Vingolf; but wicked men fare to Hell, and thence into +Niithell, that is beneath in the ninth world. Before the earth ''twas +the morning of time, when yet naught was, nor sand nor sea was +there, nor cooling streams. Earth was not found, nor Heaven above; a +Yawning-gap there was, but grass nowhere.' Many ages ere the earth was +shapen was Niflheim made, but first was that land in the southern sphere +hight Muspell, that burns and blazes, and may not be trodden by those +who are outlandish and have no heritage there. Surtr sits on the border +to guard the land; at the end of the world he will fare forth, and harry +and overcome all the gods and burn the world with fire. Ere the races +were yet mingled, or the folk of men grew, Yawning-gap, which looked +towards the north parts, was filled with thick and heavy ice and +rime, and everywhere within were fog and gusts; but the south side +of Yawning-gap lightened by the sparks and gledes that flew out of +Muspell-heim; as cold arose out of Niflheim and all things grim, so was +that part that looked towards Muspell hot and bright; but Yawning-gap +was as light as windless air, and when the blast of heat met the rime, +so that it melted and dropped and quickened; from those life-drops +there was shaped the likeness of a man, and he was named Ymir; he was +bad, and all his kind; and so it is said, when he slept he fell into a +sweat; then waxed under his left hand a man and a woman, and one of his +feet got a son with the other, and thence cometh the Hrimthursar. The +next thing when the rime dropped was that the cow hight Audhumla was +made of it; but four milk-rivers ran out of her teats, and she fed Ymir; +she licked rime-stones that were salt, and the first day there came at +even, out of the stones, a man's hair, the second day a man's head, the +third day all the man was there. He is named Turi; he was fair of +face, great and mighty; he gat a son named Bor, who took to him Besla, +daughter of Bolthorn, the giant, and they had three sons, Odin, Vili, +and Ve. Bor's sons slew Ymir the giant, but when he fell there ran so +much blood out of his wounds that all the kin of the Hrimthursar were +drowned, save Hvergelmir and his household, who got away in a boat. Then +Bor's sons took Ymir and bore him into the midst of Yawning-gap, and +made of him the earth; of his blood seas and waters, of his flesh earth +was made; they set the earth fast, and laid the sea round about it in +a ring without; of his bones were made rocks; stones and pebbles of his +teeth and jaws and the bones that were broken; they took his skull and +made the lift thereof, and set it up over the earth with four sides, and +under each corner they set dwarfs, and they took his brain and cast it +aloft, and made clouds. They took the sparks and gledes that went loose, +and had been cast out of Muspellheim, and set them in the lift to give +light; they gave resting-places to all fires, and set some in the lift; +some fared free under it, and they gave them a place and shaped their +goings. A wondrous great smithying, and deftly done. The earth is +fashioned round without, and there beyond, round about it lies the deep +sea; and on that sea-strand the gods gave land for an abode to the giant +kind, but within on the earth made they a burg round the world against +restless giants, and for this burg reared they the brows of Ymir, and +called the burg Midgard. The gods went along the sea-strand and found +two stocks, and shaped out of them men; the first gave soul and life, +the second wit and will to move, the third face, hearing, speech, and +eyesight. They gave them clothing and names; the man Ask and the woman +Embla; thence was mankind begotten, to whom an abode was given under +Midgard. Then next Bor's sons made them a burg in the midst of the +world, that is called Asgard; there abode the gods and their kind, and +wrought thence many tidings and feats, both on earth and in the Sky. +Odin, who is hight Allfather, for that he is the father of all men and +sat there in his high seat, seeing over the whole world and each man's +doings, and knew all things that he saw. His wife was called Frigg, and +their offspring is the Asa-stock, who dwell in Asgard and the realms +about it, and all that stock are known to be gods. The daughter and wife +of Odin was Earth, and of her he got Thor, him followed strength and +sturdiness, thereby quells he all things quick; the strongest of all +gods and men, he has also three things of great price, the hammer +Miolnir, the best of strength belts, and when he girds that about him +waxes his god strength one-half, and his iron gloves that he may not +miss for holding his hammer's haft. Balidr is Odin's second son, and +of him it is good to say, he is fair and: bright in face, and hair, and +body, and him all praise; he is wise and fair-spoken and mild, and that +nature is in him none may withstand his doom. Tyr is daring and best of +mood; there is a saw that he is tyrstrong who is before other men and +never yields; he is also so wise that it is said he is tyrlearned who +is wise. Bragi is famous for wisdom, and best in tongue-wit, and cunning +speech, and song-craft. 'And many other are there, good and great; and +one, Loki, fair of face, ill in temper and fickle of mood, is called the +backbiter of the Asa, and speaker of evil redes and shame of all gods +and men; he has above all that craft called sleight, and cheats all +in all things. Among the children of Loki are Fenris-wolf and +Midgards-worm; the second lies about all the world in the deep sea, +holding his tail in his teeth, though some say Thor has slain him; but +Fenris-wolf is bound until the doom of the gods, when gods and men shall +come to an end, and earth and heaven be burnt, when he shall slay Odin. +After this the earth shoots up from the sea, and it is green and fair, +and the fields bear unsown, and gods and men shall be alive again, and +sit in fair halls, and talk of old tales and the tidings that +happened aforetime. The head-seat, or holiest-stead, of the gods is at +Yggdrasil's ash, which is of all trees best and biggest; its boughs are +spread over the whole world and stand above heaven; one root of the ash +is in heaven, and under the root is the right holy spring; there hold +the gods doom every day; the second root is with the Hrimthursar, +where before was Yawning-gap; under that root is Mimir's spring, where +knowledge and wit lie hidden; thither came Allfather and begged a drink, +but got it not before he left his eye in pledge; the third root is +over Niflheim, and the worm Nidhogg gnaws the root beneath. A fair hall +stands under the ash by the spring, and out of it come three maidens, +Norns, named Has-been, Being, Will-be, who shape the lives of men; there +are beside other Norns, who come to every man that is born to shape his +life, and some of these are good and some evil. In the boughs of the +ash sits an eagle, wise in much, and between his eyes sits the hawk +Vedrfalnir; the squirrel Ratatoskr runs up and down along the ash, +bearing words of hate betwixt the eagle and the worm. Those Norns who +abide by the holy spring draw from it every day water, and take the clay +that lies around the well, and sprinkle them up over the ash for that +its boughs should not wither or rot. All those men that have fallen in +the fight, and borne wounds and toil unto death, from the beginning of +the world, are come to Odin in Valhall; a very great throng is there, +and many more shall yet come; the flesh of the boar Soerfmnir is sodden +for them every day, and he is whole again at even; and the mead they +drink that flows from the teats of the she-goat Heidhrun. The meat Odin +has on his board he gives to his two wolves, Geri and Freki, and he +needs no meat, wine is to him both meat and drink; ravens twain sit on +his shoulders, and say into his ear all tidings that they see and hear; +they are called Huginn and Muninn (mind and memory); them sends he at +dawn to fly over the whole world, and they come back at breakfast-tide, +thereby becomes he wise in many tidings, and for this men call him +Raven's-god. Every day, when they have clothed them, the heroes put on +their arms and go out into the yard and fight and fell each other; that +is their play, and when it looks toward mealtime, then ride they home to +Valhall and sit down to drink. For murderers and men forsworn is a great +hall, and a bad, and the doors look northward; it is altogether wrought +of adder-backs like a wattled house, but the worms' heads turn into the +house, and blow venom, so that rivers of venom run along the hall, and +in those rivers must such men wade forever." There was no priest-class; +every chief was priest for his own folk, offered sacrifice, performed +ceremonies, and so on. + +In politics the homestead, with its franklin-owner, was the unit; the +"thing", or hundred-moot, the primal organisation, and the "godord", +or chieftainship, its tie. The chief who had led a band of kinsmen and +followers to the new country, taken possession of land, and shared it +among them, became their head-ruler and priest at home, speaker and +president of their Thing, and their representative in any dealings with +neighbouring chiefs and their clients. He was not a feudal lord, for +any franklin could change his "godord" as he liked, and the right +of "judgment by peers" was in full use. At first there was no higher +organisation than the local thing. A central thing, and a speaker to +speak a single "law" for the whole island, was instituted in 929, and +afterwards the island was divided in four quarters, each with a court, +under the Al-thing. Society was divided only into two classes of men, +the free and unfree, though political power was in the hands of the +franklins alone; "godi" and thrall ate the same food, spoke the same +tongue, wore much the same clothes, and were nearly alike in life and +habits. Among the free men there was equality in all but wealth and the +social standing that cannot be separated therefrom. The thrall was a +serf rather than a slave, and could own a house, etc., of his own. In a +generation or so the freeman or landless retainer, if he got a homestead +of his own, was the peer of the highest in the land. During the tenth +century Greenland was colonised from Iceland, and by end of the same +century christianity was introduced into Iceland, but made at first +little difference in arrangements of society. In the thirteenth century +disputes over the power and jurisdiction of the clergy led, with other +matters, to civil war, ending in submission to Norway, and the breaking +down of all native great houses. Although life under the commonwealth +had been rough and irregular, it had been free and varied, breeding +heroes and men of mark; but the "law and order" now brought in left +all on a dead level of peasant proprietorship, without room for hope +or opening for ambition. An alien governor ruled the island, which +was divided under him into local counties, administered by sheriffs +appointed by the king of Norway. The Al-thing was replaced by a royal +court, the local work of the local things was taken by a subordinate +of the sheriff, and things, quarter-courts, trial by jury, and all the +rest, were swept away to make room for these "improvements", which have +lasted with few changes into this century. In 1380 the island passed +under the rule of Denmark, and so continues. (9) During the fifteenth +century the English trade was the only link between Iceland and the +outer world; the Danish government weakened that link as much as it +could, and sought to shut in and monopolise everything Icelandic; under +the deadening effect of such rule it is no marvel that everything found +a lower level, and many things went out of existence for lack of use. +In the sixteenth century there is little to record but the Reformation, +which did little good, if any, and the ravages of English, Gascon, and +Algerine pirates who made havoc on the coast; (10) they appear toward +the close of the century and disappear early in the seventeenth. In the +eighteenth century small-pox, sheep disease, famine, and the terrible +eruptions of 1765 and 1783, follow one another swiftly and with terrible +effect. At the beginning of the present century Iceland, however, +began to shake off the stupor her ill-hap had brought upon her, and +as European attention had been drawn to her, she was listened to. +Newspapers, periodicals, and a Useful Knowledge Society were started; +then came free trade, and the "home-rule" struggle, which met with +partial success in 1874, and is still being carried on. A colony, Gimli, +in far-off Canada, has been formed of Icelandic emigrants, and large +numbers have left their mother-land; but there are many co-operative +societies organised now, which it is hoped will be able to so revive the +old resources of the island as to make provision for the old population +and ways of life. There is now again a representative central council, +but very many of the old rights and powers have not been yet restored. +The condition of society is peculiar absence of towns, social equality, +no abject poverty or great wealth, rarity of crime, making it easy for +the whole country to be administered as a co-operative commonwealth +without the great and striking changes rendered necessary by more +complicated systems. + +Iceland has always borne a high name for learning and literature; on +both sides of their descent people inherited special poetic power. Some +of older Eddaic fragments attest the great reach and deep overpowering +strength of imagination possessed by their Norse ancestors; and +they themselves had been quickened by a new leaven. During the first +generations of the "land-taking" a great school of poetry which had +arisen among the Norsemen of the Western Isles was brought by them to +Iceland. (11) The poems then produced are quite beyond parallel with +those of any Teutonic language for centuries after their date, which lay +between the beginning of the ninth and the end of the tenth centuries. +Through the Greenland colony also came two, or perhaps more, great poems +of this western school. This school grew out of the stress and storm of +the viking life, with its wild adventure and varied commerce, and the +close contact with an artistic and inventive folk, possessed of high +culture and great learning. The infusion of Celtic blood, however +slight it may have been, had also something to do with the swift intense +feeling and rapidity of passion of the earlier Icelandic poets. They +are hot-headed and hot-hearted, warm, impulsive, quick to quarrel or +to love, faithful, brave; ready with sword or song to battle with all +comers, or to seek adventure wheresoever it might be found. They leave +Iceland young, and wander at their will to different courts of northern +Europe, where they are always held in high honour. Gunnlaug Worm-tongue +(12) in 1004 came to England, after being in Norway, as the saga +says:--"Now sail Gunnlaug and his fellows into the English main, and +come at autumntide south to London Bridge, where they hauled ashore +their ship. Now, at that time King Ethelred, the son of Edgar, ruled +over England, and was a good lord; the winter he sat in London. But +in those days there was the same tongue in England as in Norway and +Denmark; but the tongues changed when William the Bastard won England, +for thenceforward French went current there, for he was of French kin. +Gunnlaug went presently to the king, and greeted him well and worthily. +The king asked him from what land he came, and Gunnlaug told him all as +it was. 'But,' said he, 'I have come to meet thee, lord, for that I have +made a song on thee, and I would that it might please thee to hearken to +that song.' The king said it should be so, and Gunnlaug gave forth the +song well and proudly, and this is the burden thereof-- + + "'As God are all folk fearing + The fire lord King of England, + Kin of all kings and all folk, + To Ethelred the head bow.' + +The king thanked him for the song, and gave him as song-reward a scarlet +cloak lined with the costliest of furs, and golden-broidered down to +the hem; and made him his man; and Gunnlaug was with him all the winter, +and was well accounted of. + +The poems in this volume are part of the wonderful fragments which +are all that remain of ancient Scandinavian poetry. Every piece which +survives has been garnered by Vigfusson and Powell in the volumes of +their "Corpus", where those who seek may find. A long and illustrious +line of poets kept the old traditions, down even to within a couple +centuries, but the earlier great harvest of song was never again +equalled. After christianity had entered Iceland, and that, with other +causes, had quieted men's lives, although the poetry which stood to the +folk in lieu of music did not die away, it lost the exclusive hold it +had upon men's minds. In a time not so stirring, when emotion was not so +fervent or so swift, when there was less to quicken the blood, the story +that had before found no fit expression but in verse, could stretch its +limbs, as it were, and be told in prose. Something of Irish influence +is again felt in this new departure and that marvellous new growth, the +saga, that came from it, but is little more than an influence. Every +people find some one means of expression which more than all else suits +their mood or their powers, and this the Icelanders found in the saga. +This was the life of a hero told in prose, but in set form, after a +regular fashion that unconsciously complied with all epical requirements +but that of verse--simple plot, events in order of time, set phrases for +even the shifting emotion or changeful fortune of a fight or storm, +and careful avoidance of digression, comment, or putting forward by +the narrator of ought but the theme he has in hand; he himself is never +seen. Something in the perfection of the saga is to be traced to the +long winter's evenings, when the whole household, gathered together at +their spinning, weaving, and so on, would listen to one of their number +who told anew some old story of adventure or achievement. In very truth +the saga is a prose epic, and marked by every quality an epic should +possess. Growing up while the deeds of dead heroes were fresh in memory, +most often recited before the sharers in such deeds, the saga, in its +pure form, never goes from what is truth to its teller. Where the saga, +as this one of the Volsungs is founded upon the debris of songs and +poems, even then very old, tales of mythological heroes, of men quite +removed from the personal knowledge of the narrator, yet the story is +so inwound with the tradition of his race, is so much a part of his +thought-life, that every actor in it has for him a real existence. At +the feast or gathering, or by the fireside, as men made nets and women +spun, these tales were told over; in their frequent repetition by men +who believed them, though incident or sequence underwent no change, +they would become closer knit, more coherent, and each an organic whole. +Gradually they would take a regular and accepted form, which would ease +the strain upon the reciter's memory and leave his mind free to adorn +the story with fair devices, that again gave help in the making it +easier to remember, and thus aided in its preservation. After a couple +of generations had rounded and polished the sagas by their telling and +retelling, they were written down for the most part between 1141 and +1220, and so much was their form impressed upon the mind of the folk, +that when learned and literary works appeared, they were written in the +same style; hence we have histories alike of kingdoms, or families, or +miracles, lives of saints, kings, or bishops in saga-form, as well as +subjects that seem at first sight even less hopeful. All sagas that have +yet appeared in English may be found in the book-list at end of this +volume, but they are not a tithe of those that remain. + +Of all the stories kept in being by the saga-tellers and left for our +delight, there is none that so epitomises human experience; has within +the same space so much of nature and of life; so fully the temper and +genius of the Northern folk, as that of the Volsungs and Niblungs, which +has in varied shapes entered into the literature of many lands. In +the beginning there is no doubt that the story belonged to the common +ancestral folk of all the Teutonic of Scando-Gothic peoples in the +earliest days of their wanderings. Whether they came from the Hindu +Kush, or originated in Northern Europe, brought it with them from Asia, +or evolved it among the mountains and rivers it has taken for scenery, +none know nor can; but each branch of their descendants has it in one +form or another, and as the Icelanders were the very crown and flower of +the northern folk, so also the story which is the peculiar heritage of +that folk received in their hands its highest expression and most noble +form. The oldest shape in which we have it is in the Eddaic poems, some +of which date from unnumbered generations before the time to which most +of them are usually ascribed, the time of the viking-kingdoms in the +Western Isles. In these poems the only historical name is that of +Attila, the great Hun leader, who filled so large a part of the +imagination of the people whose power he had broken. There is no doubt +that, in the days when the kingdoms of the Scando-Goths reached from the +North Cape to the Caspian, that some earlier great king performed his +part; but, after the striking career of Attila, he became the recognised +type of a powerful foreign potentate. All the other actors are +mythic-heroic. Of the Eddaic songs only fragments now remain, but +ere they perished there arose from them a saga, that now given to the +readers of this. The so-called Anglo-Saxons brought part of the story to +England in "Beowulf"; in which also appear some incidents that are again +given in the Icelandic saga of "Grettir the Strong". Most widely known +is the form taken by the story in the hands of an unknown medieval +German poet, who, from the broken ballads then surviving wrote the +"Nibelungenlied" or more properly "Nibelungen Not" ("The Need of the +Niblungs"). In this the characters are all renamed, some being more +or less historical actors in mid-European history, as Theodoric of the +East-Goths, for instance. The whole of the earlier part of the story has +disappeared, and though Siegfried (Sigurd) has slain a dragon, there is +nothing to connect it with the fate that follows the treasure; Andvari, +the Volsungs, Fafnir, and Regin are all forgotten; the mythological +features have become faint, and the general air of the whole is that of +medieval romance. The swoard Gram is replaced by Balmung, and the Helm +of Awing by the Tarn-cap--the former with no gain, the latter with great +loss. The curse of Andvari, which in the saga is grimly real, working +itself out with slow, sure steps that no power of god or man can turn +aside, in the medieval poem is but a mere scenic effect, a strain of +mystery and magic, that runs through the changes of the story with +much added picturesqueness, but that has no obvious relation to the +working-out of the plot, or fulfilment of their destiny by the different +characters. Brynhild loses a great deal, and is a poor creature when +compared with herself in the saga; Grimhild and her fateful drink have +gone; Gudrun (Chriemhild) is much more complex, but not more tragic; +one new character, Rudiger, appears as the type of chivalry; but Sigurd +(Siegfred) the central figure, though he has lost by the omission of so +much of his life, is, as before, the embodiment of all the virtues that +were dear to northern hearts. Brave, strong, generous, dignified, and +utterly truthful, he moves amid a tangle of tragic events, overmastered +by a mighty fate, and in life or death is still a hero without stain or +flaw. It is no wonder that he survives to this day in the national songs +of the Faroe Islands and in the folk-ballads of Denmark; that his legend +should have been mingled with northern history through Ragnar Lodbrog, +or southern through Attila and Theodoric; that it should have inspired +William Morris in producing the one great English epic of the century; +(13) and Richard Wagner in the mightiest among his music-dramas. Of the +story as told in the saga there is no need here to speak, for to read +it, as may be done a few pages farther on, is that not better than to +read about it? But it may be urged upon those that are pleased and moved +by the passion and power, the strength and deep truth of it, to find out +more than they now know of the folk among whom it grew, and the land in +which they dwelt. In so doing they will come to see how needful are +a few lessons from the healthy life and speech of those days, to be +applied in the bettering of our own. + +H. HALLIDAY SPARLING. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Viking (Ice. "Vikingr"; "vik", a bay or creek, "ingr", + belonging to, (or men of) freebooters. + (2) "West over the Sea" is the word for the British Isles. + (3) See Todd (J. H.). "War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill". + (4) He was son of Ingiald, son of Thora, daughter of Sigurd + Snake-I'-th'-eye, son of Ragnar Lodbrok by Aslaug, daughter + of Sigurd by Brynhild. The genealogy is, doubtless, quite + mythical. + (5) A Collection of Sagas and other Historical Documents + relating to the Settlements and Descents of the Northmen on + the British Isles. Ed., G. W. Dasent, D.C.L, and Gudbrand + Vigfusson, M.A. "In the Press. Longmans, London. 8vo. + (6) "Orkneyinga Saga". + (7) Landtaking-book--"landnam", landtaking, from "at nema + land", hence also the early settlers were called + "landnamsmenn". + (8) To all interested in the subject of comparative mythology, + Andrew Lang's two admirable books, "Custom and Myth" (1884, + 8vo) and "Myth, Ritual, and Religion" (2 vols., crown 8vo, + 1887), both published by Longmans, London, may be warmly + recommended. + (9) Iceland was granted full independence from Denmark in 1944. + --DBK. + (10) These pirates are always appearing about the same time in + English State papers as plundering along the coasts of the + British Isles, especially Ireland. + (11) For all the old Scandinavian poetry extant in Icelandic, see + "Corpus Poeticum Borealis" of Vigfusson and Powell. + (12) Snake-tongue--so called from his biting satire. + (13) "Sigurd the Volsung", which seems to have become all but + forgotten in this century.--DBK. + + + + +TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. + +In offering to the reader this translation of the most complete and +dramatic form of the great Epic of the North, we lay no claim to special +critical insight, nor do we care to deal at all with vexed questions, +but are content to abide by existing authorities, doing our utmost to +make our rendering close and accurate, and, if it might be so, at the +same time, not over prosaic: it is to the lover of poetry and nature, +rather than to the student, that we appeal to enjoy and wonder at this +great work, now for the first time, strange to say, translated into +English: this must be our excuse for speaking here, as briefly as may +be, of things that will seem to the student over well known to be worth +mentioning, but which may give some ease to the general reader who comes +across our book. + +The prose of the "Volsunga Saga" was composed probably some time in the +twelfth century, from floating traditions no doubt; from songs which, +now lost, were then known, at least in fragments, to the Sagaman; +and finally from songs, which, written down about his time, are still +existing: the greater part of these last the reader will find in this +book, some inserted amongst the prose text by the original story-teller, +and some by the present translators, and the remainder in the latter +part of the book, put together as nearly as may be in the order of the +story, and forming a metrical version of the greater portion of it. + +These Songs from the Elder Edda we will now briefly compare with the +prose of the Volsung Story, premising that these are the only metrical +sources existing of those from which the Sagaman told his tale. + +Except for the short snatch on p. 24 (1) of our translation, nothing is +now left of these till we come to the episode of Helgi Hundings-bane, +Sigurd's half-brother; there are two songs left relating to this, from +which the prose is put together; to a certain extent they cover the same +ground; but the latter half of the second is, wisely as we think, left +untouched by the Sagaman, as its interest is of itself too great not to +encumber the progress of the main story; for the sake of its wonderful +beauty, however, we could not refrain from rendering it, and it will be +found first among the metrical translations that form the second part of +this book. + +Of the next part of the Saga, the deaths of Sinfjotli and Sigmund, and +the journey of Queen Hjordis to the court of King Alf, there is no trace +left of any metrical origin; but we meet the Edda once more where Regin +tells the tale of his kin to Sigurd, and where Sigurd defeats and slays +the sons of Hunding: this lay is known as the "Lay of Regin". + +The short chap. xvi. is abbreviated from a long poem called the +"Prophecy of Gripir" (the Grifir of the Saga), where the whole story +to come is told with some detail, and which certainly, if drawn out at +length into the prose, would have forestalled the interest of the tale. + +In the slaying of the Dragon the Saga adheres very closely to the "Lay +of Fafnir"; for the insertion of the song of the birds to Sigurd the +present translators are responsible. + +Then comes the waking of Brynhild, and her wise redes to Sigurd, taken +from the Lay of Sigrdrifa, the greater part of which, in its metrical +form, is inserted by the Sagaman into his prose; but the stanza relating +Brynhild's awaking we have inserted into the text; the latter part, +omitted in the prose, we have translated for the second part of our +book. + +Of Sigurd at Hlymdale, of Gudrun's dream, the magic potion of Grimhild, +the wedding of Sigurd consequent on that potion; of the wooing of +Brynhild for Gunnar, her marriage to him, of the quarrel of the Queens, +the brooding grief and wrath of Brynhild, and the interview of Sigurd +with her--of all this, the most dramatic and best-considered parts of +the tale, there is now no more left that retains its metrical form than +the few snatches preserved by the Sagaman, though many of the incidents +are alluded to in other poems. + +Chap. xxx. is met by the poem called the "Short Lay of Sigurd", +which, fragmentary apparently at the beginning, gives us something of +Brynhild's awakening wrath and jealousy, the slaying of Sigurd, and the +death of Brynhild herself; this poem we have translated entire. + +The Fragments of the "Lay of Brynhild" are what is left of a poem partly +covering the same ground as this last, but giving a different account +of Sigurd's slaying; it is very incomplete, though the Sagaman has drawn +some incidents from it; the reader will find it translated in our second +part. + +But before the death of the heroine we have inserted entire into the +text as chap. xxxi. the "First Lay of Gudrun", the most lyrical, the +most complete, and the most beautiful of all the Eddaic poems; a +poem that any age or language might count among its most precious +possessions. + +From this point to the end of the Saga it keeps closely to the Songs of +Edda; in chap. xxxii. the Sagaman has rendered into prose the "Ancient +Lay of Gudrun", except for the beginning, which gives again another +account of the death of Sigurd: this lay also we have translated. + +The grand poem, called the "Hell-ride of Brynhild", is not represented +directly by anything in the prose except that the Sagaman has supplied +from it a link or two wanting in the "Lay of Sigrdrifa"; it will be +found translated in our second part. + +The betrayal and slaughter of the Giukings or Niblungs, and the fearful +end of Atli and his sons, and court, are recounted in two lays, called +the "Lays of Atli"; the longest of these, the "Greenland Lay of Atli", +is followed closely by the Sagaman; the Shorter one we have translated. + +The end of Gudrun, of her daughter by Sigurd and of her sons by her last +husband Jonakr, treated of in the last four chapters of the Saga, are +very grandly and poetically given in the songs called the "Whetting of +Gudrun", and the "Lay of Hamdir", which are also among our translations. + +These are all the songs of the Edda which the Sagaman has dealt with; +but one other, the "Lament of Oddrun", we have translated on account of +its intrinsic merit. + +As to the literary quality of this work we in say much, but we think we +may well trust the reader of poetic insight to break through whatever +entanglement of strange manners or unused element may at first trouble +him, and to meet the nature and beauty with which it is filled: we +cannot doubt that such a reader will be intensely touched by finding, +amidst all its wildness and remoteness, such a startling realism, +such subtilty, such close sympathy with all the passions that may move +himself to-day. + +In conclusion, we must again say how strange it seems to us, that this +Volsung Tale, which is in fact an unversified poem, should never before +been translated into English. For this is the Great Story of the +North, which should be to all our race what the Tale of Troy was to the +Greeks--to all our race first, and afterwards, when the change of the +world has made our race nothing more than a name of what has been--a +story too--then should it be to those that come after us no less than +the Tale of Troy has been to us. + +WILLIAM MORRIS and EIRIKR MAGNUSSON. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Chapter viii.--DBK. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS. + + + +CHAPTER I. Of Sigi, the Son of Odin. + +Here begins the tale, and tells of a man who was named Sigi, and called +of men the son of Odin; another man withal is told of in the tale, hight +Skadi, a great man and mighty of his hands; yet was Sigi the mightier +and the higher of kin, according to the speech of men of that time. +Now Skadi had a thrall with whom the story must deal somewhat, Bredi by +name, who was called after that work which he had to do; in prowess and +might of hand he was equal to men who were held more worthy, yea, and +better than some thereof. + +Now it is to be told that, on a time, Sigi fared to the hunting of the +deer, and the thrall with him; and they hunted deer day-long till the +evening; and when they gathered together their prey in the evening, lo, +greater and more by far was that which Bredi had slain than Sigi's prey; +and this thing he much misliked, and he said that great wonder it was +that a very thrall should out-do him in the hunting of deer: so he +fell on him and slew him, and buried the body of him thereafter in a +snow-drift. + +Then he went home at evening tide and says that Bredi had ridden away +from him into the wild-wood. "Soon was he out of my sight," he says, +"and naught more I wot of him." + +Skadi misdoubted the tale of Sigi, and deemed that this was a guile of +his, and that he would have slain Bredi. So he sent men to seek for him, +and to such an end came their seeking, that they found him in a certain +snow-drift; then said Skadi, that men should call that snow-drift +Bredi's Drift from henceforth; and thereafter have folk followed, so +that in such wise they call every drift that is right great. + +Thus it is well seen that Sigi has slain the thrall and murdered him; so +he is given forth to be a wolf in holy places, (1) and may no more abide +in the land with his father; therewith Odin bare him fellowship from the +land, so long a way, that right long it was, and made no stay till he +brought him to certain war-ships. So Sigi falls to lying out a-warring +with the strength that his father gave him or ever they parted; and +happy was he in his warring, and ever prevailed, till he brought +it about that he won by his wars land and lordship at the last; and +thereupon he took to him a noble wife, and became a great and mighty +king, and ruled over the land of the Huns, and was the greatest of +warriors. He had a son by his wife, who was called Refir, who grew up in +his father's house, and soon became great of growth, and shapely. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Wolf in holy places," a man put out of the pale of society + for crimes, an outlaw. + + + +CHAPTER II. Of the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son +of Sigi. + +Now Sigi grew old, and had many to envy him, so that at last those +turned against him whom he trusted most; yea, even the brothers of his +wife; for these fell on him at his unwariest, when there were few +with him to withstand them, and brought so many against him, that they +prevailed against him, and there fell Sigi and all his folk with him. +But Rerir, his son, was not in this trouble, and he brought together so +mighty a strength of his friends and the great men of the land, that +he got to himself both the lands and kingdom of Sigi his father; and so +now, when he deems that the feet under him stand firm in his rule, then +he calls to mind that which he had against his mother's brothers, who +had slain his father. So the king gathers together a mighty army, and +therewith falls on his kinsmen, deeming that if he made their kinship +of small account, yet none the less they had first wrought evil against +him. So he wrought his will herein, in that he departed not from strife +before he had slain all his father's banesmen, though dreadful the deed +seemed in every wise. So now he gets land, lordship, and fee, and is +become a mightier man than his father before him. + +Much wealth won in war gat Rerir to himself, and wedded a wife withal, +such as he deemed meet for him, and long they lived together, but had +no child to take the heritage after them; and ill-content they both were +with that, and prayed the Gods with heart and soul that they might get +them a child. And so it is said that Odin hears their prayer, and Freyia +no less hearkens wherewith they prayed unto her: so she, never lacking +for all good counsel, calls to her her casket-bearing may, (1) the +daughter of Hrimnir the giant, and sets an apple in her hand, and bids +her bring it to the king. She took the apple, and did on her the gear of +a crow, and went flying till she came whereas the king sat on a mound, +and there she let the apple fall into the lap of the king; but he took +the apple, and deemed he knew whereto it would avail; so he goes home +from the mound to his own folk, and came to the queen, and some deal of +that apple she ate. + +So, as the tale tells, the queen soon knew that she big with child, but +a long time wore or ever she might give birth to the child: so it befell +that the king must needs go to the wars, after the custom of kings, that +he may keep his own land in peace: and in this journey it came to pass +that Rerir fell sick and got his death, being minded to go home to Odin, +a thing much desired of many folk in those days. + +Now no otherwise it goes with the queen's sickness than heretofore, nor +may she be the lighter of her child, and six winters wore away with the +sickness still heavy on her; so that at the last she feels that she may +not live long; wherefore now she bade cut the child from out of her; and +it was done even as she bade; a man-child was it, and great of growth +from his birth, as might well be; and they say that the youngling kissed +his mother or ever she died; but to him is a name given, and he is +called Volsung; and he was king over Hunland in the room of his father. +From his early years he was big and strong, and full of daring in all +manly deeds and trials, and he became the greatest of warriors, and of +good hap in all the battles of his warfaring. + +Now when he was fully come to man's estate, Hrimnir the giant sends to +him Ljod his daughter; she of whom the tale told, that she brought the +apple to Rerir, Volsung's father. So Volsung weds her withal; and long +they abode together with good hap and great love. They had ten sons and +one daughter, and their eldest son was hight Sigmund, and their daughter +Signy; and these two were twins, and in all wise the foremost and the +fairest of the children of Volsung the king, and mighty, as all his seed +was; even as has been long told from ancient days, and in tales of long +ago, with the greatest fame of all men, how that the Volsungs have been +great men and high-minded and far above the most of men both in cunning +and in prowess and all things high and mighty. + +So says the story that king Volsung let build a noble hall in such a +wise, that a big oak-tree stood therein, and that the limbs of the tree +blossomed fair out over the roof of the hall, while below stood the +trunk within it, and the said trunk did men call Branstock. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) May (A.S. "maeg"), a maid. + + + +CHAPTER III. Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the +Branstock. + +There was a king called Siggeir, who ruled over Gothland, a mighty king +and of many folk; he went to meet Volsung, the king, and prayed him for +Signy his daughter to wife; and the king took his talk well, and his +sons withal, but she was loth thereto, yet she bade her father rule in +this as in all other things that concerned her; so the king took such +rede (1) that he gave her to him, and she was betrothed to King Siggeir; +and for the fulfilling of the feast and the wedding, was King Siggeir +to come to the house of King Volsung. The king got ready the feast +according to his best might, and when all things were ready, came the +king's guests and King Siggeir withal at the day appointed, and many a +man of great account had Siggeir with him. + +The tale tells that great fires were made endlong the hall, and the +great tree aforesaid stood midmost thereof; withal folk say that, whenas +men sat by the fires in the evening, a certain man came into the hall +unknown of aspect to all men; and suchlike array he had, that over him +was a spotted cloak, and he was bare-foot, and had linen-breeches knit +tight even unto the bone, and he had a sword in his hand as he went up +to the Branstock, and a slouched hat upon his head: huge he was, and +seeming-ancient, and one-eyed. (2) So he drew his sword and smote it +into the tree-trunk so that it sank in up to the hilts; and all held +back from greeting the man. Then he took up the word, and said-- + +"Whoso draweth this sword from this stock, shall have the same as a gift +from me, and shall find in good sooth that never bare he better sword in +hand than is this." + +Therewith out went the old man from the hall, and none knew who he was +or whither he went. + +Now men stand up, and none would fain be the last to lay hand to the +sword, for they deemed that he would have the best of it who might first +touch it; so all the noblest went thereto first, and then the others, +one after other; but none who came thereto might avail to pull it out, +for in nowise would it come away howsoever they tugged at it; but now up +comes Sigmund, King Volsung's son, and sets hand to the sword, and pulls +it from the stock, even as if it lay loose before him; so good that +weapon seemed to all, that none thought he had seen such a sword before, +and Siggeir would fain buy it of him at thrice its weight of gold, but +Sigmund said-- + +"Thou mightest have taken the sword no less than I from there whereas it +stood, if it had been thy lot to bear it; but now, since it has first of +all fallen into my hand, never shalt thou have it, though thou biddest +therefor all the gold thou hast." + +King Siggeir grew wroth at these words, and deemed Sigmund had answered +him scornfully, but whereas was a wary man and a double-dealing, he +made as if he heeded this matter in nowise, yet that same evening he +thought how he might reward it, as was well seen afterwards. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Rede (A.S. raed), counsel, advice, a tale or prophecy. + (2) The man is Odin, who is always so represented, because he + gave his eye as a pledge for a draught from the fountain of + Mimir, the source of all wisdom. + + + +CHAPTER IV. How King Siggeir wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his +son to Gothland. + +Now it is to be told that Siggeir goes to bed by Signy that night, and +the next morning the weather was fair; then says King Siggeir that he +will not bide, lest the wind should wax, or the sea grow impassable; +nor is it said that Volsung or his sons letted him herein, and that the +less, because they saw that he was fain to get him gone from the feast. +But now says Signy to her father-- + +"I have no will to go away with Seggeir; neither does my heart smile +upon him, and I wot; by my fore-knowledge, and from the fetch (1) of our +kin, that from this counsel will great evil fall on us if this wedding +be not speedily undone." + +"Speak in no such wise, daughter!" said he, "for great shame will it be +to him, yea, and to us also, to break troth with him, he being sackless; +(2) and in naught may we trust him, and no friendship shall we have of +him, if these matters are broken off; but he will pay us back in as evil +wise as he may; for that alone is seemly, to hold truly to troth given." + +So King Siggeir got ready for home, and before he went from the feast he +bade King Volsung, his father-in-law, come see him in Gothland, and all +his sons with him, whenas three months should be overpast, and to bring +such following with him, as he would have; and as he deemed meet for his +honour; and thereby will Siggeir the king pay back for the shortcomings +of the wedding-feast, in that he would abide thereat but one night only, +a thing not according to the wont of men. So King Volsung gave word to +come on the day named, and the kinsmen-in-law parted, and Siggeir went +home with his wife. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Fetch; wraith, or familiar spirit. + (2) Sackless (A.S. "sacu", Icel. "sok".) blameless. + + + +CHAPTER V. Of the Slaying of King Volsung. + +Now tells the tale of King Volsung and his sons that they go at the time +appointed to Gothland at the bidding of King Siggeir, and put off from +the land in three ships, all well manned, and have a fair voyage, and +made Gothland late of an evening tide. + +But that same night came Signy and called her father and brothers to a +privy talk, and told them what she deemed King Siggeir was minded to do, +and how that he had drawn together an army no man may meet. "And," says +she, "he is minded to do guilefully by you; wherefore I bid you get +ye gone back again to your own land, and gather together the mightiest +power ye may, and then come back hither and avenge you; neither go ye +now to your undoing, for ye shall surely fail not to fall by his wiles +if ye turn not on him even as I bid you." + +Then spake Volsung the king, "All people and nations shall tell of the +word I spake, yet being unborn, wherein I vowed a vow that I would flee +in fear from neither fire nor the sword; even so have I done hitherto, +and shall I depart therefrom now I am old? Yea withal never shall the +maidens mock these my sons at the games, and cry out at them that they +fear death; once alone must all men need die, and from that season shall +none escape; so my rede is that we flee nowhither, but do the work of +our hands in as manly wise as we may; a hundred fights have I fought, +and whiles I had more, and whiles I had less, and yet ever had I the +victory, nor shall it ever be heard tell of me that I fled away or +prayed for peace." + +Then Signy wept right sore, and prayed that she might not go back to +King Siggeir, but King Volsung answered-- + +"Thou shalt surely go back to thine husband, and abide with him, +howsoever it fares with us." + +So Signy went home, and they abode there that night; but in the morning, +as soon as it was day, Volsung bade his men arise and go aland and make +them ready for battle; so they went aland, all of them all-armed, and +had not long to wait before Siggeir fell on them with all his army, and +the fiercest fight there was betwixt them; and Siggeir cried on his men +to the onset all he might; and so the tale tells that King Volsung and +his sons went eight times right through Siggeir's folk that day, smiting +and hewing on either hand, but when they would do so even once again, +King Volsung fell amidst his folk and all his men withal, saving his ten +sons, for mightier was the power against them than they might withstand. + +But now are all his sons taken, and laid in bonds and led away; and +Signy was ware withal that her father was slain, and her brothers taken +and doomed to death; that she called King Siggeir apart to talk with +her, and said-- + +"This will I pray of thee, that thou let not slay my brothers hastily, +but let them be set awhile in the stocks, for home to me comes the saw +that says, "Sweet to eye while seen": but longer life I pray not for +them, because I wot well that my prayer will not avail me." + +Then answered Siggeir: + +"Surely thou art mad and witless, praying thus for more bale for thy +brothers than their present slaying; yet this will I grant thee, for the +better it likes me the more they must bear, and the longer their pain is +or ever death come to them." + +Now he let it be done even as she prayed, and a mighty beam was brought +and set on the feet of those ten brethren in a certain place of the +wild-wood, and there they sit day-long until night; but at midnight, as +they sat in the stocks, there came on them a she-wolf from out the wood; +old she was, and both great and evil of aspect; and the first thing she +did was to bite one of those brethren till he died, and then she ate him +up withal, and went on her way. + +But the next morning Signy sent a man to the brethren, even one whom she +most trusted, to wot of the tidings; and when he came back he told her +that one of them was dead, and great and grievous she deemed it, if they +should all fare in like wise, and yet naught might she avail them. + +Soon is the tale told thereof: nine nights together came the she-wolf +at midnight, and each night slew and ate up one of the brethren, until +all were dead, save Sigmund only; so now, before the tenth night came, +Signy sent that trusty man to Sigmund, her brother, and gave honey into +his hand, bidding him do it over Sigmund's face, and set a little deal +of it in his mouth; so he went to Sigmund and did as he was bidden, and +then came home again; and so the next night came the she-wolf according +to her wont, and would slay him and eat him even as his brothers; but +now she sniffs the breeze from him, whereas he was anointed with the +honey, and licks his face all over with her tongue, and then thrusts +her tongue into the mouth of him. No fear he had thereof, but caught +the she-wolf's tongue betwixt his teeth, and so hard she started back +thereat, and pulled herself away so mightily, setting her feet against +the stocks, that all was riven asunder; but he ever held so fast that the +tongue came away by the roots, and thereof she had her bane. + +But some men say that this same she-wolf was the mother of King +Siggeir, who had turned herself into this likeness by troll's lore and +witchcraft. + + + +CHAPTER VI. Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to +Sigmund. + +Now whenas Sigmund is loosed and the stocks are broken, he dwells in the +woods and holds himself there; but Signy sends yet again to wot of the +tidings, whether Sigmund were alive or no; but when those who were sent +came to him, he told them all as it had betid, and how things had gone +betwixt him and the wolf; so they went home and tell Signy the tidings; +but she goes and finds her brother, and they take counsel in such wise +as to make a house underground in the wild-wood; and so things go on a +while, Signy hiding him there, and sending him such things as he needed; +but King Siggeir deemed that all the Volsungs were dead. + +Now Siggeir had two sons by his wife, whereof it is told that when the +eldest was ten winters old, Signy sends him to Sigmund, so that he might +give him help, if he would in any wise strive to avenge his father; +so the youngling goes to the wood, and comes late in evening-tide to +Sigmund's earth-house; and Sigmund welcomed him in seemly fashion, and +said that he should make ready their bread; "But I," said he, "will go +seek firewood." + +Therewith he gives the meal-bag into his hands while he himself went to +fetch firing; but when he came back the youngling had done naught at the +bread-making. Then asks Sigmund if the bread be ready-- + +Says the youngling, "I durst not set hand to the meal sack, because +somewhat quick lay in the meal." + +Now Sigmund deemed he wotted that the lad was of no such heart as that +he would be fain to have him for his fellow; and when he met his sister, +Sigmund said that he had come no nigher to the aid of a man though the +youngling were with him. + +Then said Signy, "Take him and kill him then; for why should such an one +live longer?" and even so he did. + +So this winter wears, and the next winter Signy sent her next son to +Sigmund; and there is no need to make a long tale thereof, for in like +wise went all things, and he slew the child by the counsel of Signy. + + + +CHAPTER VII. Of the Birth of Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund. + +So on a tide it befell as Signy sat in her bower, that there came to her +a witch-wife exceeding cunning, and Signy talked with her in such wise, +"Fain am I," says she, "that we should change semblances together." + +She says, "Even as thou wilt then." + +And so by her wiles she brought it about that they changed semblances, +and now the witch-wife sits in Signy's place according to her rede, and +goes to bed by the king that night, and he knows not that he has other +than Signy beside him. + +But the tale tells of Signy, that she fared to the earth-house of her +brother, and prayed him give her harbouring for the night; "For I have +gone astray abroad in the woods, and know not whither I am going." + +So he said she might abide, and that he would not refuse harbour to one +lone woman, deeming that she would scarce pay back his good cheer by +tale-bearing: so she came into the house, and they sat down to meat, +and his eyes were often on her, and a goodly and fair woman she seemed +to him; but when they are full, then he says to her, that he is right +fain that they should have but one bed that night; she nowise turned +away therefrom, and so for three nights together he laid her in bed by +him. + +Thereafter she fared home, and found the witch-wife and bade her change +semblances again, and she did so. + +Now as time wears, Signy brings forth a man-child, who was named +Sinfjotli, and when he grew up he was both big and strong, and fair of +face, and much like unto the kin of the Volsungs, and he was hardly yet +ten winters old when she sent him to Sigmund's earth-house; but this +trial she had made of her other sons or ever she had sent them to +Sigmund, that she had sewed gloves on to their hands through flesh and +skin, and they had borne it ill and cried out thereat; and this she now +did to Sinfjotli, and he changed countenance in nowise thereat. Then she +flayed off the kirtle so that the skin came off with the sleeves, and +said that this would be torment enough for him; but he said-- + +"Full little would Volsung have felt such a smart this." + +So the lad came to Sigmund, and Sigmund bade him knead their meal up, +while he goes to fetch firing; so he gave him the meal-sack, and then +went after the wood, and by then he came back had Sinfjotli made an end +of his baking. Then asked Sigmund if he had found nothing in the meal. + +"I misdoubted me that there was something quick in the meal when I first +fell to kneading of it, but I have kneaded it all up together, both the +meal and that which was therein, whatsoever it was." + +Then Sigmund laughed out, he said-- + +"Naught wilt thou eat of this bread to-night, for the most deadly of +worms (1) hast thou kneaded up therewith." + +Now Sigmund was so mighty a man that he might eat venom and have no hurt +therefrom; but Sinfjotli might abide whatso venom came on the outside of +him, but might neither eat nor drink thereof. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Serpents. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. The Death of King Siggeir and of Signy. + +The tale tells that Sigmund thought Sinfjotli over young to help him to +his revenge, and will first of all harden him with manly deeds; so in +summer-tide they fare wide through the woods and slay men for their +wealth; Sigmund deems him to take much after the kin of the Volsungs, +though he thinks that he is Siggeir's son, and deems him to have the +evil heart of his father, with the might and daring of the Volsungs; +withal he must needs think him in no wise a kinsome man, for full oft +would he bring Sigmund's wrongs to his memory, and prick him on to slay +King Siggeir. + +Now on a time as they fare abroad in the wood for the getting of wealth, +they find a certain house, and two men with great gold rings asleep +therein: now these twain were spell-bound skin-changers, (1) and +wolf-skins were hanging up over them in the house; and every tenth +day might they come out of those skins; and they were kings' sons: so +Sigmund and Sinfjofli do the wolf-skins on them, and then might they +nowise come out of them, though forsooth the same nature went with them +as heretofore; they howled as wolves howl, but both knew the meaning of +that howling; they lay out in the wild-wood, and each went his way; and +a word they made betwixt them, that they should risk the onset of seven +men, but no more, and that he who was first to be set on should howl in +wolfish wise: "Let us not depart from this," says Sigmund, "for thou art +young and over-bold, and men will deem the quarry good, when they take +thee." + +Now each goes his way, and when they were parted, Sigmund meets certain +men, and gives forth a wolf's howl; and when Sinfjotli heard it, he went +straightway thereto, and slew them all, and once more they parted. But +ere Sinfjotli has fared long through the woods, eleven men meet him, +and he wrought in such wise that he slew them all, and was awearied +therewith, and crawls under an oak, and there takes his rest. Then came +Sigmund thither, and said-- + +"Why didst thou not call on me?" + +Sinfjotli said, "I was loth to call for thy help for the slaying of +eleven men." + +Then Sigmund rushed at him so hard that he staggered and fell, and +Sigmund bit him in the throat. Now that day they might not come out of +their wolf-skins: but Sigmund lays the other on his back, and bears +him home to the house, and cursed the wolf-gears and gave them to the +trolls. Now on a day he saw where two weasels went, and how that one bit +the other in the throat, and then ran straightway into the thicket, and +took up a leaf and laid it on the wound, and thereon his fellow sprang +up quite and clean whole; so Sigmund went out and saw a raven flying +with a blade of that same herb to him; so he took it and drew it over +Sinfjotli's hurt, and he straightway sprang up as whole as though he had +never been hurt. Thereafter they went home to their earth-house, and +abode there till the time came for them to put off the wolf-shapes; then +they burnt them up with fire, and prayed that no more hurt might come +to any one from them; but in that uncouth guise they wrought many famous +deeds in the kingdom and lordship of King Siggeir. + +Now when Sinfjotli was come to man's estate, Sigmund deemed he had tried +him fully, and or ever a long time has gone by he turns his mind to the +avenging of his father, if so it may be brought about; so on a certain +day the twain get them gone from their earth-house, and come to the +abode of King Siggeir late in the evening, and go into the porch before +the hall, wherein were tuns of ale, and there they lie hid: now the +queen is ware of them, where they are, and is fain to meet them; and +when they met they took counsel, and were of one mind that Volsung should +be revenged that same night. + +Now Signy and the king had two children of tender age, who played with +a golden toy on the floor, and bowled it along the pavement of the hall, +running along with it; but therewith a golden ring from off it trundles +away into the place where Sigmund and Sinfjotli lay, and off runs the +little one to search for the same, and beholds withal where two men are +sitting, big and grimly to look on, with overhanging helms and bright +white byrnies; (2) so he runs up the hall to his father, and tells him +of the sight he has seen, and thereat the king misdoubts of some guile +abiding him; but Signy heard their speech, and arose and took both the +children, and went out into the porch to them and said-- + +"Lo ye! These younglings have bewrayed you; come now therefore and slay +them!" + +Sigmund says, "Never will I slay thy children for telling of where I lay +hid." + +But Sinfjotli made little enow of it, but drew his sword and slew them +both, and cast them into the hall at King Siggeir's feet. + +Then up stood the king and cried on his men to take those who had lain +privily in the porch through the night. So they ran thither and would +lay hands on them, but they stood on their defence well and manly, and +long he remembered it who was the nighest to them; but in the end they +were borne down by many men and taken, and bonds were set upon them, and +they were cast into fetters wherein they sit night long. + +Then the king ponders what longest and worst of deaths he shall mete out +to them; and when morning came he let make a great barrow of stones and +turf; and when it was done, let set a great flat stone midmost inside +thereof, so that one edge was aloft, the other alow; and so great it was +that it went from wall to wall, so that none might pass it. + +Now he bids folk take Sigmund and Sinfjotli and set them in the barrow, +on either side of the stone, for the worse for them he deemed it, that +they might hear each the other's speech, and yet that neither might pass +one to the other. But now, while they were covering in the barrow with +the turf-slips, thither came Signy, bearing straw with her, and cast it +down to Sinfjotli, and bade the thralls hide this thing from the king; +they said yea thereto, and therewithal was the barrow closed in. + +But when night fell, Sinfjotli said to Sigmund, "Belike we shall scarce +need meat for a while, for here has the queen cast swine's flesh into +the barrow, and wrapped it round about on the outer side with straw." + +Therewith he handles the flesh and finds that therein was thrust +Sigmund's sword; and he knew it by the hilts, as mirk as it might be in +the barrow, and tells Sigmund thereof, and of that were they both fain +enow. + +Now Sinfjotli drave the point of the sword up into the big stone, and +drew it hard along, and the sword bit on the stone. With that Sigmund +caught the sword by the point, and in this wise they sawed the stone +between them, and let not or all the sawing was done that need be done, +even as the song sings: + + "Sinfjotli sawed + And Sigmund sawed, + Atwain with main + The stone was done." + +Now are they both together loose in the barrow, and soon they cut both +through stone and through iron, and bring themselves out thereof. Then +they go home to the hall, whenas all men slept there, and bear wood to +the hall, and lay fire therein; and withal the folk therein are waked by +the smoke, and by the hall burning over their heads. + +Then the king cries out, "Who kindled this fire, I burn withal?" + +"Here am I," says Sigmund, "with Sinfjotli, my sister's son; and we are +minded that thou shalt wot well that all the Volsungs are not yet dead." + +Then he bade his sister come out, and take all good things at his hands, +and great honour, and fair atonement in that wise, for all her griefs. + +But she answered, "Take heed now, and consider, if I have kept King +Siggeir in memory, and his slaying of Volsung the king! I let slay both +my children, whom I deemed worthless for the revenging of our father, +and I went into the wood to thee in a witch-wife's shape; and now +behold, Sinfjotli is the son of thee and of me both! and therefore has +he this so great hardihood and fierceness, in that he is the son both of +Volsung's son and Volsung's daughter; and for this, and for naught else, +have I so wrought, that Siggeir might get his bane at last; and all +these things have I done that vengeance might fall on him, and that I +too might not live long; and merrily now will I die with King Siggeir, +though I was naught merry to wed him." + +Therewith she kissed Sigmund her brother, and Sinfjotli, and went back +again into the fire, and there she died with King Siggeir and all his +good men. + +But the two kinsmen gathered together folk and ships, and Sigmund went +back to his father's land, and drave away thence the king, who had set +himself down there in the room of king Volsung. + +So Sigmund became a mighty King and far-famed, wise and high-minded: he +had to wife one named Borghild, and two sons they had between them, one +named Helgi and the other Hamund; and when Helgi was born, Norns came to +him, (3) and spake over him, and said that he should be in time to come +the most renowned of all kings. Even therewith was Sigmund come home +from the wars, and so therewith he gives him the name of Helgi, and +these matters as tokens thereof, Land of Rings, Sun-litten Hill, and +Sharp-shearing Sword, and withal prayed that he might grow of great +fame, and like unto the kin of the Volsungs. + +And so it was that he grew up high-minded, and well-beloved, and above +all other men in all prowess; and the story tells that he went to the +wars when he was fifteen winters old. Helgi was lord and ruler over the +army, but Sinfjotli was gotten to be his fellow herein; and so the twain +bare sway thereover. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Skin-changers" were universally believed in once, in + Iceland no less than elsewhere, as see Ari in several places + of his history, especially the episode of Dufthach and + Storwolf o' Whale. Men possessing the power of becoming + wolves at intervals, in the present case compelled so to + become, wer-wolves or "loupsgarou", find large place in + medieval story, but were equally well-known in classic + times. Belief in them still lingers in parts of Europe + where wolves are to be found. Herodotus tells of the Neuri, + who assumed once a year the shape of wolves; Pliny says that + one of the family of Antaeus, chosen by lot annually, became + a wolf, and so remained for nine years; Giraldus Cambrensis + will have it that Irishmen may become wolves; and Nennius + asserts point-blank that "the descendants of wolves are + still in Ossory;" they retransform themselves into wolves + when they bite. Apuleius, Petronius, and Lucian have + similar stories. The Emperor Sigismund convoked a council + of theologians in the fifteenth century who decided that + wer-wolves did exist. + (2) Byrny (A.S. "byrne"), corslet, cuirass. + (3) "Norns came to him." Nornir are the fates of the northern + mythology. They are three--"Urd", the past; "Verdandi", + the present; and "Skuld", the future. They sit beside the + fountain of Urd ("Urdarbrunur"), which is below one of the + roots of "Yggdrasil", the world-tree, which tree their + office it is to nourish by sprinkling it with the waters of + the fountain. + + + +CHAPTER IX. How Helgi, the son of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his +Realm, and wedded Sigrun. + +Now the tale tells that Helgi in his warring met a king hight Hunding, +a mighty king, and lord of many men and many lands; they fell to battle +together, and Helgi went forth mightily, and such was the end of that +fight that Helgi had the victory, but King Hunding fell and many of his +men with him; but Helgi is deemed to have grown greatly in fame because +he had slain so mighty a king. + +Then the sons of Hunding draw together a great army to avenge their +father. Hard was the fight betwixt them; but Helgi goes through the +folk of those brothers unto their banner, and there slays these sons +of Hunding, Alf and Eyolf, Herward and Hagbard, and wins there a great +victory. + +Now as Helgi fared from the fight, he met a many women right fair and +worthy to look on, who rode in exceeding noble array; but one far +excelled them all; then Helgi asked them the name of that their lady and +queen, and she named herself Sigrun, and said she was daughter of King +Hogni. + +Then said Helgi, "Fare home with us: good welcome shall ye have!" + +Then said the king's daughter, "Other work lies before us than to drink +with thee." + +"Yea, and what work, king's daughter?" said Helgi. + +She answers, "King Hogni has promised me to Hodbrod, the son of King +Granmar, but I have vowed a vow that I will have him to my husband no +more than if he were a crow's son and not a king's; and yet will the +thing come to pass, but and if thou standest in the way thereof, and +goest against him with an army, and takest me away withal; for verily +with no king would I rather bide on bolster than with thee." + +"Be of good cheer, king's daughter," says he, "for certes he and I shall +try the matter, or ever thou be given to him; yea, we shall behold which +may prevail against the other; and hereto I pledge my life." + +Thereafter, Helgi sent men with money in their hands to summon his folk +to him, and all his power is called together to Red-Berg: and there +Helgi abode till such time as a great company came to him from Hedinsey; +and therewithal came mighty power from Norvi Sound aboard great and fair +ships. Then King Helgi called to him the captain of his ships, who was +hight Leif, and asked him if he had told over the tale of his army. + +"A thing not easy to tell, lord," says he, "on the ships that came out +of Norvi Sound are twelve thousand men, and otherwhere are half as many +again." + +Then bade King Helgi turn into the firth, called Varin's firth, and they +did so: but now there fell on them so fierce a storm and so huge a sea, +that the beat of the waves on board and bow was to hearken to like as +the clashing together of high hills broken. + +But Helgi bade men fear naught, nor take in any sail, but rather hoist +every rag higher than heretofore; but little did they miss of foundering +or ever they made land; then came Sigrun, daughter of King Hogni, down +on to the beach with a great army, and turned them away thence to a good +haven called Gnipalund; but the landsmen see what has befallen and +come down to the sea-shore. The brother of King Hodbrod, lord of a land +called Swarin's Cairn, cried out to them, and asked them who was captain +over that mighty army. Then up stands Sinfjotli, with a helm on his +head, bright shining as glass, and a byrny as white as snow; a spear +in his hand, and thereon a banner of renown, and a gold-rimmed shield +hanging before him; and well he knew with what words to speak to kings-- + +"Go thou and say, when thou hast made an end of feeding thy swine and +thy dogs, and when thou beholdest thy wife again, that here are come +the Volsungs, and in this company may King Helgi be found, if Hodbrod +be fain of finding him, for his game and his joy it is to fight and win +fame, while thou art kissing the handmaids by the fire-side." + +Then answered Granmar, "In nowise knowest thou how to speak seemly +things, and to tell of matters remembered from of old, whereas thou +layest lies on chiefs and lords; most like it is that thou must have +long been nourished with wolf-meat abroad in the wild-woods, and has +slain thy brethren; and a marvel it is to behold that thou darest to +join thyself to the company of good men and true, thou, who hast sucked +the blood of many a cold corpse." + +Sinfjotli answered, "Dim belike is grown thy memory now, of how thou +wert a witch-wife on Varinsey, and wouldst fain have a man to thee, and +chose me to that same office of all the world; and how thereafter thou +wert a Valkyria (1) in Asgarth, and it well-nigh came to this, that for +thy sweet sake should all men fight; and nine wolf whelps I begat on thy +body in Lowness, and was the father to them all." + +Granmar answers, "Great skill of lying hast thou; yet belike the father +of naught at all mayst thou be, since thou wert gelded by the giant's +daughters of Thrasness; and lo thou art the stepson of King Siggeir, and +were wont to lie abroad in wilds and woods with the kin of wolves; and +unlucky was the hand wherewith thou slewest thy brethren, making for +thyself an exceeding evil name." + +Said Sinfjotli, "Mindest thou not then, when thou were stallion Grani's +mare, and how I rode thee an amble on Bravoll, and that afterwards thou +wert giant Golnir's goat-herd?" + +Granmar says, "Rather would I feed fowls with the flesh of thee than +wrangle any longer with thee." + +Then spake King Helgi, "Better were it for ye, and a more manly deed, to +fight, rather than to speak such things as it is a shame even to hearken +to; Granmar's sons are no friends of me and of mine, yet are they hardy +men none the less." + +So Granmar rode away to meet King Hodbrod, at a stead called Sunfells, +and the horses of the twain were named Sveipud and Sveggjud. The +brothers met in the castle-porch, and Granmar told Hodbrod of the +war-news. King Hodbrod was clad in a byrny, and had his helm on his +head; he asked-- + +"What men are anigh, why look ye so wrathful?" + +Granmar says, "Here are come the Volsungs, and twelve thousand men of +them are afloat off the coast, and seven thousand are at the island +called Sok, but at the stead called Grindur is the greatest company of +all, and now I deem withal that Helgi and his fellowship have good will +to give battle." + +Then said the king, "Let us send a message through all our realm, and go +against them, neither let any who is fain of fight sit idle at home; let +us send word to the sons of Ring, and to King Hogni, and to Alf the Old, +for they are mighty warriors." + +So the hosts met at Wolfstone, and fierce fight befell there; Helgi +rushed forth through the host of his foes, and many a man fell there; at +last folk saw a great company of shield-maidens, like burning flames to +look on, and there was come Sigrun, the king's daughter. Then King Helgi +fell on King Hodbrod, and smote him, and slew him even under his very +banner; and Sigrun cried out-- + +"Have thou thanks for thy so manly deed! now shall we share the land +between us, and a day of great good hap this is to me, and for this deed +shalt thou get honour and renown, in that thou hast felled to earth so +mighty a king." + +So Helgi took to him that realm and dwelt there long, when he had wedded +Sigrun, and became a king of great honour and renown, though he has +naught more to do with this story. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Valkyrja, "Chooser of the elected." The women were so + called whom Odin sent to choose those for death in battle + who were to join the "Einherjar" in the hall of the elected, + "Val-holl." + + + +CHAPTER X. The ending of Sinfjotli, Sigmund's Son. + +Now the Volsungs fare back home, and have gained great renown by these +deeds. But Sinfjotli betook himself to warfare anew; and therewith he +had sight of an exceeding fair woman, and yearned above all things for +her; but that same woman was wooed also of the brother of Borghild, the +king's wife: and this matter they fought out betwixt them, and Sinfjotli +slew that king; and thereafter he harried far and wide, and had many +a battle and even gained the day; and he became hereby honoured and +renowned above all men; but in autumn tide he came home with many ships +and abundant wealth. + +Then he told his tidings to the king his father, and he again to the +queen, and she for her part bids him get him gone from the realm, and +made as if she would in nowise see him. But Sigmund said he would not +drive him away, and offered her atonement of gold and great wealth for +her brother's life, albeit he said he had never erst given weregild +(1) to any for the slaying of a man, but no fame it was to uphold wrong +against a woman. + +So seeing she might not get her own way herein, she said, "Have thy will +in this matter, O my lord, for it is seemly so to be." + +And now she holds the funeral feast for her brother by the aid and +counsel of the king, and makes ready all things therefor or in the best of +wise, and bade thither many great men. + +At that feast, Borghild the queen bare the drink to folk, and she came +over against Sinfjofli with a great horn, and said-- + +"Fall to now and drink, fair stepson!" + +Then he took the horn to him, and looked therein, and said-- + +"Nay, for the drink is charmed drink" + +Then said Sigmund, "Give it unto me then;" and therewith he took the +horn and drank it off. + +But the queen said to Sinfjotli, "Why must other men needs drink thine +ale for thee?" And she came again the second time with the horn, and +said, "Come now and drink!" and goaded him with many words. + +And he took the horn, and said-- + +"Guile is in the drink." + +And thereon, Sigmund cried out-- + +"Give it then unto me!" + +Again, the third time, she came to him, and bade him drink off his +drink, if he had the heart of a Volsung; then he laid hand on the horn, +but said-- + +"Venom is therein." + +"Nay, let the lip strain it out then, O son," quoth Sigmund; and by then +was he exceeding drunk with drink, and therefore spake he in that wise. + +So Sinfjotli drank, and straightway fell down dead to the ground. + +Sigmund rose up, and sorrowed nigh to death over him; then he took the +corpse in his arms and fared away to the wood, and went till he came to +a certain firth; and there he saw a man in a little boat; and that man +asked if he would be wafted by him over the firth, and he said yea +thereto; but so little was the boat, that they might not all go in it +at once, so the corpse was first laid therein, while Sigmund went by +the firth-side. But therewith the boat and the man therein vanished away +from before Sigmund's eyes. (2) + +So thereafter Sigmund turned back home, and drave away the queen, and a +little after she died. But Sigmund the king yet ruled his realm, and is +deemed ever the greatest champion and king of the old law. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Weregild, fine for man-slaying ("wer", man, and "gild", a + payment). + (2) The man in the boat is Odin, doubtless. + + + +CHAPTER XI. Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his +Sword again. + +There was a king called Eylimi, mighty and of great fame, and his +daughter was called Hjordis, the fairest and wisest of womankind; and +Sigmund hears it told of her that she was meet to be his wife, yea if +none else were. So he goes to the house of King Eylimi, who would make +a great feast for him, if so be he comes not thither in the guise of +a foe. So messages were sent from one to the other that this present +journey was a peaceful one, and not for war; so the feast was held in +the best of wise and with many a man thereat; fairs were in every place +established for King Sigmund, and all things else were done to the aid +and comfort of his journey: so he came to the feast, and both kings hold +their state in one hall; thither also was come King Lyngi, son of King +Hunding, and he also is a-wooing the daughter of King Eylimi. + +Now the king deemed he knew that the twain had come thither but for one +errand, and thought withal that war and trouble might be looked for +from the hands of him who brought not his end about; so he spake to his +daughter, and said-- + +"Thou art a wise woman, and I have spoken it, that thou alone shalt +choose a husband for thyself; choose therefore between these two kings, +and my rede shall be even as thine." + +"A hard and troublous matter," says she; "yet will I choose him who is +of greatest fame, King Sigmund to wife, albeit he is well stricken in +years." + +So to him was she betrothed, and King Lyngi gat him gone. Then was +Sigmund wedded to Hjordis, and now each day was the feast better and +more glorious than on the day before it. But thereafter Sigmund went +back home to Hunland, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, with him, and +King Sigmund betakes himself to the due ruling of his realm. + +But King Lyngi and his brethren gather an army together to fall on +Sigmund, for as in all matters they were wont to have the worser lot, +so did this bite the sorest of all; and they would fain prevail over the +might and pride of the Volsungs. So they came to Hunland, and sent King +Sigmund word how that they would not steal upon him, and that they deemed +he would scarce slink away from them. So Sigmund said he would come and +meet them in battle, and drew his power together; but Hjordis was borne +into the wood with a certain bondmaid, and mighty wealth went with them; +and there she abode the while they fought. + +Now the vikings rushed from their ships in numbers not to be borne up +against, but Sigmund the King, and Eylimi, set up their banners, and the +horns blew up to battle; but King Sigmund let blow the horn his father +erst had had, and cheered on his men to the fight, but his army was far +the fewest. + +Now was that battle fierce and fell, and though Sigmund were old, yet +most hardily he fought, and was ever the foremost of his men; no shield +or byrny might hold against him, and he went ever through the ranks +of his foemen on that day, and no man might see how things would fare +between them; many an arrow and many a spear was aloft in air that day, +and so his spae-wrights wrought for him that he got no wound, and none +can tell over the tale of those who fell before him, and both his arms +were red with blood, even to the shoulders. + +But now whenas the battle had dured a while, there came a man into +the fight clad in a blue cloak, and with a slouched hat on his head, +one-eyed he was, (1) and bare a bill in his hand; and he came against +Sigmund the King, and have up his bill against him, and as Sigmund smote +fiercely with the sword it fell upon the bill and burst asunder in the +midst: thenceforth the slaughter and dismay turned to his side, for the +good-hap of King Sigmund had departed from him, and his men fell fast +about him; naught did the king spare himself, but the rather cheered on +his men; but even as the saw says, "No might 'gainst many", so was it +now proven; and in this fight fell Sigmund the King, and King Eylimi, +his father-in-law, in the fore-front of their battle, and therewith the +more part of their folk. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin coming to change the ownership of the sword he had + given Sigmund. See Chapter 3. + + + +CHAPTER XII. Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to +King Alf. + +Now King Lyngi made for the king's abode, and was minded to take the +king's daughter there, but failed herein, for there he found neither +wife nor wealth: so he fared through all the realm, and gave his men +rule thereover, and now deemed that he had slain all the kin of the +Volsungs, and that he need dread them no more from henceforth. + +Now Hjordis went amidst the slain that night of the battle, and came +whereas lay King Sigmund, and asked if he might be healed; but he +answered-- + +"Many a man lives after hope has grown little; but my good-hap has +departed from me, nor will I suffer myself to be healed, nor wills Odin +that I should ever draw sword again, since this my sword and his is +broken; lo now, I have waged war while it was his will." + +"Naught ill would I deem matters," said she, "if thou mightest be healed +and avenge my father." + +The king said, "That is fated for another man; behold now, thou art +great with a man-child; nourish him well and with good heed, and the +child shall be the noblest and most famed of all our kin: and keep well +withal the shards of the sword: thereof shall a goodly sword be made, +and it shall be called Gram, and our son shall bear it, and shall work +many a great work therewith, even such as eld shall never minish; for +his name shall abide and flourish as long as the world shall endure: and +let this be enow for thee. But now I grow weary with my wounds, and I +will go see our kin that have gone before me." + +So Hjordis sat over him till he died at the day-dawning; and then she +looked, and behold, there came many ships sailing to the land: then she +spake to the handmaid-- + +"Let us now change raiment, and be thou called by my name, and say that +thou art the king's daughter." + +And thus they did; but now the vikings behold the great slaughter of men +there, and see where two women fare away thence into the wood; and they +deem that some great tidings must have befallen, and they leaped ashore +from out their ships. Now the captain of these folks was Alf, son of +Hjalprek, king of Denmark, who was sailing with his power along the +land. So they came into the field among the slain, and saw how many men +lay dead there; then the king bade go seek for the women and bring +them thither, and they did so. He asked them what women they were; and, +little as the thing seems like to be, the bondmaid answered for the +twain, telling of the fall of King Sigmund and King Eylimi, and many +another great man, and who they were withal who had wrought the deed. +Then the king asks if they wotted where the wealth of the king was +bestowed; and then says the bondmaid-- + +"It may well be deemed that we know full surely thereof." + +And therewith she guides them to the place where the treasure lay: and +there they found exceeding great wealth; so that men deem they have +never seen so many things of price heaped up together in one place. All +this they bore to the ships of King Alf, and Hjordis and the bondmaid +went with them. Therewith these sail away to their own realm, and talk +how that surely on that field had fallen the most renowned of kings. + +So the king sits by the tiller, but the women abide in the forecastle; +but talk he had with the women and held their counsels of much account. + +In such wise the king came home to his realm with great wealth, and he +himself was a man exceeding goodly to look on. But when he had been but +a little while at home, the queen, his mother, asked him why the fairest +of the two women had the fewer rings and the less worthy attire. + +"I deem," she said, "that she whom ye have held of least account is the +noblest of the twain." + +He answered: "I too have misdoubted me, that she is little like a +bondwoman, and when we first met, in seemly wise she greeted noble men. +Lo now, we will make a trial of the thing." + +So on a time as men sat at the drink, the king sat down to talk with the +women, and said:-- + +"In what wise do ye note the wearing of the hours, whenas night grows +old, if ye may not see the lights of heaven?" + +Then says the bondwoman, "This sign have I, that whenas in my youth I +was wont to drink much in the dawn, so now when I no longer use that +manner, I am yet wont to wake up at that very same tide, and by that +token do I know thereof." + +Then the king laughed and said, "Ill manners for a king's daughter!" And +therewith he turned to Hjordis, and asked her even the same question; +but she answered-- + +"My father erst gave me a little gold ring of such nature, that it +groweth cold on my finger in the day-dawning; and that is the sign that +I have to know thereof." + +The king answered: "Enow of gold there, where a very bondmaid bore it! +But come now, thou hast been long enow hid from me; yet if thou hadst +told me all from the beginning, I would have done to thee as though we +had both been one king's children: but better than thy deeds will I deal +with thee, for thou shalt be my wife, and due jointure will I pay thee +whenas thou hast borne me a child." + +She spake therewith and told out the whole truth about herself: so there +was she held in great honour, and deemed the worthiest of women. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + +The tale tells that Hjordis brought forth a man-child, who was +straightly borne before King Hjalprek, and then was the king glad +thereof, when he saw the keen eyes in the head of him, and he said that +few men would be equal to him or like unto him in any wise. So he was +sprinkled with water, and had to name Sigurd, of whom all men speak +with one speech and say that none was ever his like for growth and +goodliness. He was brought up in the house of King Hjalprek in great +love and honour; and so it is, that whenso all the noblest men and +greatest kings are named in the olden tales, Sigurd is ever put before +them all, for might and prowess, for high mind and stout heart, wherewith +he was far more abundantly gifted than any man of the northern parts of +the wide world. + +So Sigurd waxed in King Hjalprek's house, and there was no child but +loved him; through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and jointure +meted to her. + +Now Sigurd's foster-father was hight Regin, the son of Hreidmar; he +taught him all manner of arts, the chess play, and the lore of runes, +and the talking of many tongues, even as the wont was with kings' sons +in those days. But on a day when they were together, Regin asked Sigurd, +if he knew how much wealth his father had owned, and who had the ward +thereof; Sigurd answered, and said that the kings kept the ward thereof. + +Said Regin, "Dost thou trust them all utterly?" + +Sigurd said, "It is seemly that they keep it till I may do somewhat +therewith, for better they wot how to guard it than I do." + +Another time came Regin to talk to Sigurd, and said-- + +"A marvellous thing truly that thou must needs be a horse-boy to the +kings, and go about like a running knave." + +"Nay," said Sigurd, "it is not so, for in all things I have my will, and +whatso thing I desire is granted me with good will." + +"Well, then," said Regin, "ask for a horse of them." + +"Yea," quoth Sigurd, "and that shall I have, whenso I have need +thereof." + +Thereafter Sigurd went to the king, and the king said-- + +"What wilt thou have of us?" + +Then said Sigurd, "I would even a horse of thee for my disport." + +Then said the king, "Choose for thyself a horse, and whatso thing else +thou desirest among my matters." + +So the next day went Sigurd to the wood, and met on the way an old man, +long-bearded, that he knew not, who asked him whither away. + +Sigurd said, "I am minded to choose me a horse; come thou, and counsel +me thereon." + +"Well then," said he, "go we and drive them to the river which is called +Busil-tarn." + +They did so, and drave the horses down into the deeps of the river, and +all swam back to land but one horse; and that horse Sigurd chose for +himself; grey he was of hue, and young of years, great of growth, and +fair to look on, nor had any man yet crossed his back. + +Then spake the grey-beard, "From Sleipnir's kin is this horse come, and +he must be nourished heedfully, for it will be the best of all horses;" +and therewithal he vanished away. + +So Sigurd called the horse Grani, the best of all the horses of the +world; nor was the man he met other than Odin himself. + +Now yet again spake Regin to Sigurd, and said-- + +"Not enough is thy wealth, and I grieve right sore that thou must needs +run here and there like a churl's son; but I can tell thee where there +is much wealth for the winning, and great name and honour to be won in +the getting of it." + +Sigurd asked where that might be, and who had watch and ward over it. + +Regin answered, "Fafnir is his name, and but a little way hence he lies, +on the waste of Gnita-heath; and when thou comest there thou mayst well +say that thou hast never seen more gold heaped together in one place, +and that none might desire more treasure, though he were the most +ancient and famed of all kings." + +"Young am I," says Sigurd, "yet know I the fashion of this worm, and how +that none durst go against him, so huge and evil is he." + +Regin said, "Nay it is not so, the fashion and the growth of him is even +as of other lingworms, (1) and an over great tale men make of it; and +even so would thy forefathers have deemed; but thou, though thou be of +the kin of the Volsungs, shalt scarce have the heart and mind of those, +who are told of as the first in all deeds of fame." + +Sigurd said, "Yea, belike I have little of their hardihood and prowess, +but thou hast naught to do, to lay a coward's name upon me, when I +am scarce out of my childish years. Why dost thou egg me on hereto so +busily?" + +Regin said, "Therein lies a tale which I must needs tell thee." + +"Let me hear the same," said Sigurd. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lingworm--longworm, dragon. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. Regin's tale of his Brothers, and of the Gold called +Andvari's Hoard. + +"The tale begins," said Regin. "Hreidmar was my father's name, a mighty +man and a wealthy: and his first son was named Fafnir, his second Otter, +and I was the third, and the least of them all both for prowess and good +conditions, but I was cunning to work in iron, and silver, and gold, +whereof I could make matters that availed somewhat. Other skill my +brother Otter followed, and had another nature withal, for he was a +great fisher, and above other men herein; in that he had the likeness of +an otter by day, and dwelt ever in the river, and bare fish to bank +in his mouth, and his prey would he ever bring to our father, and that +availed him much: for the most part he kept him in his otter-gear, and +then he would come home, and eat alone, and slumbering, for on the +dry land he might see naught. But Fafnir was by far the greatest and +grimmest, and would have all things about called his. + +"Now," says Regin, "there was a dwarf called Andvari, who ever abode in +that force, (1) which was called Andvari's force, in the likeness of a +pike, and got meat for himself, for many fish there were in the force; +now Otter, my brother, was ever wont to enter into the force, and bring +fish aland, and lay them one by one on the bank. And so it befell that +Odin, Loki, and Hoenir, as they went their ways, came to Andvari's +force, and Otter had taken a salmon, and ate it slumbering upon the +river bank; then Loki took a stone and cast it at Otter, so that he gat +his death thereby; the gods were well content with their prey, and +fell to flaying off the otter's skin; and in the evening they came to +Hreidmar's house, and showed him what they had taken: thereon he laid +hands on them, and doomed them to such ransom, as that they should fill +the otter skin with gold, and cover it over without with red gold; so +they sent Loki to gather gold together for them; he came to Ran, (2) +and got her net, and went therewith to Andvari's force, and cast the net +before the pike, and the pike ran into the net and was taken. Then said +Loki-- + + "'What fish of all fishes, + Swims strong in the flood, + But hath learnt little wit to beware? + Thine head must thou buy, + From abiding in hell, + And find me the wan waters flame.' + +He answered-- + + "'Andvari folk call me, + Call Oinn my father, + Over many a force have I fared; + For a Norn of ill-luck, + This life on me lay + Through wet ways ever to wade.' + +"So Loki beheld the gold of Andvari, and when he had given up the gold, +he had but one ring left, and that also Loki took from him; then +the dwarf went into a hollow of the rocks, and cried out, that that +gold-ring, yea and all the gold withal, should be the bane of every man +who should own it thereafter. + +"Now the gods rode with the treasure to Hreidmar, and fulfilled the +otter-skin, and set it on its feet, and they must cover it over utterly +with gold: but when this was done then Hreidmar came forth, and beheld +yet one of the muzzle hairs, and bade them cover that withal; then Odin +drew the ring, Andvari's loom, from his hand, and covered up the hair +therewith; then sang Loki-- + + "'Gold enow, gold enow, + A great weregild, thou hast, + That my head in good hap I may hold; + But thou and thy son + Are naught fated to thrive, + The bane shall it be of you both.' + +"Thereafter," says Regin, "Fafnir slew his father and murdered him, nor +got I aught of the treasure, and so evil he grew, that he fell to lying +abroad, and begrudged any share in the wealth to any man, and so became +the worst of all worms, and ever now lies brooding upon that treasure: +but for me, I went to the king and became his master-smith; and thus is +the tale told of how I lost the heritage of my father, and the weregild +for my brother." + +So spake Regin; but since that time gold is called Ottergild, and for no +other cause than this. + +But Sigurd answered, "Much hast thou lost, and exceeding evil have thy +kinsmen been! But now, make a sword by thy craft, such a sword as that +none can be made like unto it; so that I may do great deeds therewith, +if my heart avail thereto, and thou wouldst have me slay this mighty +dragon." + +Regin says, "Trust me well herein; and with that same sword shalt thou +slay Fafnir." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Waterfall (Ice. "foss", "fors"). + (2) Ran is the goddess of the sea, wife of Aegir. The otter was + held sacred by Norsefolk and figures in the myth and legend + of most races besides; to this day its killing is held a + great crime by the Parsees (Haug. "Religion of the Parsees", + page 212). Compare penalty above with that for killing the + Welsh king's cat ("Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales". + Ed., Aneurin Owen. Longman, London, 1841, 2 vols. 8vo). + + + +CHAPTER XV. Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sword Gram. + +So Regin makes a sword, and gives it into Sigurd's hands. He took the +sword, and said-- + +"Behold thy smithying, Regin!" and therewith smote it into the anvil, +and the sword brake; so he cast down the brand, and bade him forge a +better. + +Then Regin forged another sword, and brought it to Sigurd, who looked +thereon. + +Then said Regin, "Belike thou art well content therewith, hard master +though thou be in smithying." + +So Sigurd proved the sword, and brake it even as the first; then he said +to Regin-- + +"Ah, art thou, mayhappen, a traitor and a liar like to those former kin +of thine?" + +Therewith he went to his mother, and she welcomed him in seemly wise, +and they talked and drank together. + +Then spake Sigurd, "Have I heard aright, that King Sigmund gave thee the +good sword Gram in two pieces?" + +"True enough," she said. + +So Sigurd said, "Deliver them into my hands, for I would have them." + +She said he looked like to win great fame, and gave him the sword. +Therewith went Sigurd to Regin, and bade him make a good sword thereof +as he best might; Regin grew wroth thereat, but went into the smithy +with the pieces of the sword, thinking well meanwhile that Sigurd pushed +his head far enow into the matter of smithying. So he made a sword, and +as he bore it forth from the forge, it seemed to the smiths as though +fire burned along the edges thereof. Now he bade Sigurd take the sword, +and said he knew not how to make a sword if this one failed. Then Sigurd +smote it into the anvil, and cleft it down to the stock thereof, and +neither burst the sword nor brake it. Then he praised the sword much, +and thereafter went to the river with a lock of wool, and threw it up +against the stream, and it fell asunder when it met the sword. Then was +Sigurd glad, and went home. + +But Regin said, "Now whereas I have made the sword for thee, belike thou +wilt hold to thy troth given, and wilt go meet Fafnir?" + +"Surely will I hold thereto," said Sigurd, "yet first must I avenge my +father." + +Now Sigurd the older he grew, the more he grew in the love of all men, +so that every child loved him well. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. The prophecy of Grifir. + +There was a man hight Grifir,(1) who was Sigurd's mother's brother, and +a little after the forging of the sword Sigurd went to Grifir, because +he was a man who knew things to come, and what was fated to men: of him +Sigurd asked diligently how his life should go; but Grifir was long +or he spake, yet at the last, by reason of Sigurd's exceeding great +prayers, he told him all his life and the fate thereof, even as +afterwards came to pass. So when Grifir had told him all even as he +would, he went back home; and a little after he and Regin met. + +Then said Regin, "Go thou and slay Fafnir, even as thou hast given thy +word." + +Sigurd said, "That work shall be wrought; but another is first to be +done, the avenging of Sigmund the king and the other of my kinsmen who +fell in that their last fight." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Called "Gripir" in the Edda. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father. + +Now Sigurd went to the kings, and spake thus-- + +"Here have I abode a space with you, and I owe you thanks and reward, +for great love and many gifts and all due honour; but now will I away +from the land and go meet the sons of Hunding, and do them to wit that +the Volsungs are not all dead; and your might would I have to strengthen +me therein." + +So the kings said that they would give him all things soever that +he desired, and therewith was a great army got ready, and all things +wrought in the most heedful wise, ships and all war-gear, so that his +journey might be of the stateliest: but Sigurd himself steered the +dragon-keel which was the greatest and noblest; richly wrought were +their sails, and glorious to look on. + +So they sail and have wind at will; but when a few days were overpast, +there arose a great storm on the sea, and the waves were to behold even +as the foam of men's blood; but Sigurd bade take in no sail, howsoever +they might be riven, but rather to lay on higher than heretofore. But +as they sailed past the rocks of a ness, a certain man hailed the ships, +and asked who was captain over that navy; then was it told him that the +chief and lord was Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, the most famed of all the +young men who now are. + +Then said the man, "Naught but one thing, certes, do all say of him, that +none among the sons of kings may be likened unto him; now fain were I +that ye would shorten sail on some of the ships, and take me aboard." + +Then they asked him of his name, and he sang-- + + "Hnikar I hight, + When I gladdened Huginn, + And went to battle, + Bright son of Volsung; + Now may ye call + The carl on the cliff top, + Feng or Fjolnir: + Fain would I with you." + +They made for land therewith, and took that man aboard. + +Then quoth Sigurd,(1) as the song says-- + + "Tell me this, O Hnikar, + Since full well thou knowest + Fate of Gods, good and ill of mankind, + What best our hap foresheweth, + When amid the battle + About us sweeps the sword edge." + +Quoth Hnikar-- + + "Good are many tokens + If thereof men wotted + When the swords are sweeping: + Fair fellow deem I + The dark-winged raven, + In war, to weapon-wielder. + + "The second good thing: + When abroad thou goest + For the long road well arrayed, + Good if thou seest + Two men standing, + Fain of fame within the forecourt. + + "A third thing: + Good hearing, + The wolf a howling + Abroad under ash boughs; + Good hap shalt thou have + Dealing with helm-staves, + If thou seest these fare before thee. + + "No man in fight + His face shall turn + Against the moon's sister + Low, late-shining, + For he winneth battle + Who best beholdeth + Through the midmost sword-play, + And the sloping ranks best shapeth. + + "Great is the trouble + Of foot ill-tripping, + When arrayed for fight thou farest, + For on both sides about + Are the D?sir (2) by thee, + Guileful, wishful of thy wounding. + + "Fair-combed, well washen + Let each warrior be, + Nor lack meat in the morning, + For who can rule + The eve's returning, + And base to fall before fate grovelling." + +Then the storm abated, and on they fared till they came aland in the +realm of Hunding's sons, and then Fjolnir vanished away. + +Then they let loose fire and sword, and slew men and burnt their abodes, +and did waste all before them: a great company of folk fled before the +face of them to Lyngi the King, and tell him that men of war are in the +land, and are faring with such rage and fury that the like has never +been heard of; and that the sons of King Hunding had no great forecast +in that they said they would never fear the Volsungs more, for here was +come Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, as captain over this army. + +So King Lyngi let send the war-message all throughout his realm, and has +no will to flee, but summons to him all such as would give him aid. So +he came against Sigurd with a great army, he and his brothers with him, +and an exceeding fierce fight befell; many a spear and many an arrow +might men see there raised aloft, axes hard driven, shields cleft and +byrnies torn, helmets were shivered, skulls split atwain, and many a man +felled to the cold earth. + +And now when the fight has long dured in such wise, Sigurd goes forth +before the banners, and has the good sword Gram in his hand, and smites +down both men and horses, and goes through the thickest of the throng +with both arms red with blood to the shoulder; and folk shrank aback +before him wheresoever he went, nor would either helm or byrny hold +before him, and no man deemed he had ever seen his like. So a long while +the battle lasted, and many a man was slain, and furious was the onset; +till at last it befell, even as seldom comes to hand, when a land army +falls on, that, do whatso they might, naught was brought about; but so +many men fell of the sons of Hunding that the tale of them may not be +told; and now whenas Sigurd was among the foremost, came the sons of +Hunding against him, and Sigurd smote therewith at Lyngi the king, and +clave him down, both helm and head, and mail-clad body, and thereafter +he smote Hjorward his brother atwain, and then slew all the other sons +of Hunding who were yet alive, and the more part of their folk withal. + +Now home goes Sigurd with fair victory won, and plenteous wealth and +great honour, which he had gotten to him in this journey, and feasts +were made for him against he came back to the realm. + +But when Sigurd had been at home but a little, came Regin to talk with +him, and said-- + +"Belike thou wilt now have good will to bow down Fafnir's crest +according to thy word plighted, since thou hast thus revenged thy father +and the others of thy kin." + +Sigurd answered, "That will we hold to, even as we have promised, nor +did it ever fall from our memory." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This and verses following were inserted from the "Reginsmal" + by the translators. + (2) "D?sir", sing. "D?s". These are the guardian beings who + follow a man from his birth to his death. The word + originally means sister, and is used throughout the Eddaic + poems as a dignified synonym for woman, lady. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. Of the Slaying of the Worm Fafnir. + +Now Sigurd and Regin ride up the heath along that same way wherein +Fafnir was wont to creep when he fared to the water; and folk say that +thirty fathoms was the height of that cliff along which he lay when he +drank of the water below. Then Sigurd spake: + +"How sayedst thou, Regin, that this drake (1) was no greater than other +lingworms; methinks the track of him is marvellous great?" + +Then said Regin, "Make thee a hole, and sit down therein, and whenas +the worm comes to the water, smite him into the heart, and so do him to +death, and win thee great fame thereby." + +But Sigurd said, "What will betide me if I be before the blood of the +worm?" + +Says Regin, "Of what avail to counsel thee if thou art still afeard of +everything? Little art thou like thy kin in stoutness of heart." + +Then Sigurd rides right over the heath; but Regin gets him gone, sore +afeard. + +But Sigurd fell to digging him a pit, and whiles he was at that work, +there came to him an old man with a long beard, and asked what he +wrought there, and he told him. + +Then answered the old man and said, "Thou doest after sorry counsel: +rather dig thee many pits, and let the blood run therein; but sit thee +down in one thereof, and so thrust the worm's heart through." + +And therewithal he vanished away; but Sigurd made the pits even as it +was shown to him. + +Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook +all about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as +he went; but Sigurd neither trembled nor was adrad at the roaring of +him. So whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword +under his left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts; then up +leapt Sigurd from the pit and drew the sword back again unto him, and +therewith was his arm all bloody, up to the very shoulder. + +Now when that mighty worm was ware that he had his death-wound, then he +lashed out head and tail, so that all things soever that were before him +were broken to pieces. + +So whenas Fafnir had his death-wound, he asked "Who art thou? And who is +thy father? And what thy kin, that thou wert so hardy as to bear weapons +against me?" + +Sigurd answered, "Unknown to men is my kin. I am called a noble beast: +(2) neither father have I nor mother, and all alone have I fared +hither." + +Said Fafnir, "Whereas thou hast neither father nor mother, of what +wonder wert thou born then? But now, though thou tellest me not thy name +on this my death-day, yet thou knowest verily that thou liest unto me." + +He answered, "Sigurd am I called, and my father was Sigmund." + +Says Fafnir, "Who egged thee on to this deed, and why wouldst thou be +driven to it? Hadst thou never heard how that all folk were adrad of +me, and of the awe of my countenance? But an eager father thou hadst, O +bright eyed swain!" + +Sigurd answered, "A hardy heart urged me on hereto; and a strong hand +and this sharp sword, which well thou knowest now, stood me in stead in +the doing of the deed; 'Seldom hath hardy eld a faint-heart youth.'" + +Fafnir said, "Well, I wot that hadst thou waxed amid thy kin, thou +mightest have good skill to slay folk in thine anger; but more of a +marvel is it, that thou, a bondsman taken in war, shouldst have the +heart to set on me, 'for few among bondsmen have heart for the fight.'" + +Said Sigurd, "Wilt thou then cast it in my teeth that I am far away from +my kin? Albeit I was a bondsman, yet was I never shackled. God wot thou +hast found me free enow." + +Fafnir answered, "In angry wise dost thou take my speech; but hearken, +for that same gold which I have owned shall be thy bane too." + +Quoth Sigurd, "Fain would we keep all our wealth til that day of days; +yet shall each man die once for all." + +Said Fafnir, "Few things wilt thou do after my counsel; but take heed +that thou shalt be drowned if thou farest unwarily over the sea; so bide +thou rather on the dry land, for the coming of the calm tide." + +Then said Sigurd, "Speak, Fafnir, and say, if thou art so exceeding +wise, who are the Norns who rule the lot of all mothers' sons." + +Fafnir answers, "Many there be and wide apart; for some are of the kin +of the Aesir, and some are of Elfin kin, and some there are who are +daughters of Dvalin." + +Said Sigurd, "How namest thou the holm whereon Surt (3) and the Aesir +mix and mingle the water of the sword?" + +"Unshapen is that holm hight," said Fafnir. + +And yet again he said, "Regin, my brother, has brought about my end, +and it gladdens my heart that thine too he bringeth about; for thus will +things be according to his will." + +And once again he spake, "A countenance of terror I bore up before all +folk, after that I brooded over the heritage of my brother, and on every +side did I spout out poison, so that none durst come anigh me, and of +no weapon was I adrad, nor ever had I so many men before me, as that +I deemed myself not stronger than all; for all men were sore afeard of +me." + +Sigurd answered and said, "Few may have victory by means of that same +countenance of terror, for whoso comes amongst many shall one day find +that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all." + +Then says Fafnir, "Such counsel I give thee, that thou take thy horse +and ride away at thy speediest, for ofttimes it falls out so, that he +who gets a death-wound avenges himself none the less." + +Sigurd answered, "Such as thy redes are I will nowise do after them; +nay, I will ride now to thy lair and take to me that great treasure of +thy kin." + +"Ride there then," said Fafnir, "and thou shalt find gold enow to +suffice thee for all thy life-days; yet shall that gold be thy bane, and +the bane of every one soever who owns it." + +Then up stood Sigurd, and said, "Home would I ride and lose all that +wealth, if I deemed that by the losing thereof I should never die; but +every brave and true man will fain have his hand on wealth till that +last day; but thou, Fafnir, wallow in the death-pain till Death and Hell +have thee." + +And therewithal Fafnir died. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lat. "draco", a dragon. + (2) "Unknown to men is my kin." Sigurd refusing to tell his + name is to be referred to the superstition that a dying man + could throw a curse on his enemy. + (3) Surt; a fire-giant, who will destroy the world at the + Ragnarok, or destruction of all things. Aesir; the gods. + + + +CHAPTER XIX. Of the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar. + +Thereafter came Regin to Sigurd, and said, "Hail, lord and master, a +noble victory hast thou won in the slaying of Fafnir, whereas none durst +heretofore abide in the path of him; and now shall this deed of fame be +of renown while the world stands fast." + +Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and presently +thereafter spake from heavy mood: "Mine own brother hast thou slain, and +scarce may I be called sackless of the deed." + +Then Sigurd took his sword Gram and dried it on the earth, and spake to +Regin-- + +"Afar thou faredst when I wrought this deed and tried this sharp sword +with the hand and the might of me; with all the might and main of a +dragon must I strive, while thou wert laid alow in the heather-bush, +wotting not if it were earth or heaven." + +Said Regin, "Long might this worm have lain in his lair, if the sharp +sword I forged with my hand had not been good at need to thee; had that +not been, neither thou nor any man would have prevailed against him as +at this time." + +Sigurd answers, "Whenas men meet foes in fight, better is stout heart +than sharp sword." + +Then said Regin, exceeding heavily, "Thou hast slain my brother, and +scarce may I be sackless of the deed." + +Therewith Sigurd cut out the heart of the worm with the sword called +Ridil; but Regin drank of Fafnir's blood, and spake, "Grant me a boon, +and do a thing little for thee to do. Bear the heart to the fire, and +roast it, and give me thereof to eat." + +Then Sigurd went his ways and roasted it on a rod; and when the blood +bubbled out he laid his finger thereon to essay it, if it were fully +done; and then he set his finger in his mouth, and lo, when the +heart-blood of the worm touched his tongue, straightway he knew the +voice of all fowls, and heard withal how the wood-peckers chattered in +the brake beside him-- + +"There sittest thou, Sigurd, roasting Fafnir's heart for another, that +thou shouldest eat thine ownself, and then thou shouldest become the +wisest of all men." + +And another spake: "There lies Regin, minded to beguile the man who +trusts in him." + +But yet again said the third, "Let him smite the head from off him then, +and be only lord of all that gold." + +And once more the fourth spake and said, "Ah, the wiser were he if he +followed after that good counsel, and rode thereafter to Fafnir's lair, +and took to him that mighty treasure that lieth there, and then rode +over Hindfell, whereas sleeps Brynhild; for there would he get great +wisdom. Ah, wise he were, if he did after your redes, and bethought him +of his own weal; 'for where wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near.'" + +Then cried the fifth: "Yea, yea, not so wise is he as I deem him, if he +spareth him, whose brother he hath slain already." + +At last spake the sixth: "Handy and good rede to slay him, and be lord +of the treasure!" + +Then said Sigurd, "The time is unborn wherein Regin shall be my bane; +nay, rather one road shall both these brothers fare." + +And therewith he drew his sword Gram and struck off Regin's head. + +Then heard Sigurd the wood-peckers a-singing, even as the song says. (1) + +For the first sang: + + "Bind thou, Sigurd, + The bright red rings! + Not meet it is + Many things to fear. + A fair may know I, + Fair of all the fairest + Girt about with gold, + Good for thy getting." + +And the second: + + "Green go the ways + Toward the hall of Giuki + That the fates show forth + To those who fare thither; + There the rich king + Reareth a daughter; + Thou shalt deal, Sigurd, + With gold for thy sweetling." + +And the third: + + "A high hall is there + Reared upon Hindfell, + Without all around it + Sweeps the red flame aloft. + Wise men wrought + That wonder of halls + With the unhidden gleam + Of the glory of gold." + +Then the fourth sang: + + "Soft on the fell + A shield-may sleepeth + The lime-trees' red plague + Playing about her: + The sleep-thorn set Odin + Into that maiden + For her choosing in war + The one he willed not. + + "Go, son, behold + That may under helm + Whom from battle + Vinskornir bore, + From her may not turn + The torment of sleep. + Dear offspring of kings + In the dread Norns' despite." + +Then Sigurd ate some deal of Fafnir's heart, and the remnant he kept. +Then he leapt on his horse and rode along the trail of the worm Fafnir, +and so right unto his abiding-place; and he found it open, and beheld +all the doors and the gear of them that they were wrought of iron: yea, +and all the beams of the house; and it was dug down deep into the earth: +there found Sigurd gold exceeding plenteous, and the sword Rotti; and +thence he took the Helm of Awe, and the Gold Byrny, and many things +fair and good. So much gold he found there, that he thought verily that +scarce might two horses, or three belike, bear it thence. So he took +all the gold and laid it in two great chests, and set them on the horse +Grani, and took the reins of him, but nowise will he stir, neither will +he abide smiting. Then Sigurd knows the mind of the horse, and leaps on +the back of him, and smites and spurs into him, and off the horse goes +even as if he were unladen. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The Songs of the Birds were inserted from "Reginsmal" by the + translators. + + + +CHAPTER XX. Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the Mountain. + +By long roads rides Sigurd, till he comes at the last up on to Hindfell, +and wends his way south to the land of the Franks; and he sees before +him on the fell a great light, as of fire burning, and flaming up even +unto the heavens; and when he came thereto, lo, a shield-hung castle +before him, and a banner on the topmost thereof: into the castle went +Sigurd, and saw one lying there asleep, and all-armed. Therewith he +takes the helm from off the head of him, and sees that it is no man, but +a woman; and she was clad in a byrny as closely set on her as though it +had grown to her flesh; so he rent it from the collar downwards; and then +the sleeves thereof, and ever the sword bit on it as if it were cloth. +Then said Sigurd that over-long had she lain asleep; but she asked-- + +"What thing of great might is it that has prevailed to rend my byrny, +and draw me from my sleep?" + +Even as sings the song: (1) + + "What bit on the byrny, + Why breaks my sleep away, + Who has turned from me + My wan tormenting?" + +"Ah, is it so, that here is come Sigurd Sigmundson, bearing Fafnir's +helm on his head and Fafnir's bane in his hand?" + +Then answered Sigurd-- + + "Sigmund's son + With Sigurd's sword + E'en now rent down + The raven's wall." + +"Of the Volsung's kin is he who has done the deed; but now I have heard +that thou art daughter of a mighty king, and folk have told us that thou +wert lovely and full of lore, and now I will try the same." + +Then Brynhild sang-- + + "Long have I slept + And slumbered long, + Many and long are the woes of mankind, + By the might of Odin + Must I bide helpless + To shake from off me the spells of slumber. + + "Hail to the day come back! + Hail, sons of the daylight! + Hail to thee, dark night, and thy daughter! + Look with kind eyes a-down, + On us sitting here lonely, + And give unto us the gain that we long for. + + "Hail to the Aesir, + And the sweet Asyniur! (2) + Hail to the fair earth fulfilled of plenty! + Fair words, wise hearts, + Would we win from you, + And healing hands while life we hold." + +Then Brynhild speaks again and says, "Two kings fought, one hight Helm +Gunnar, an old man, and the greatest of warriors, and Odin had promised +the victory unto him; but his foe was Agnar, or Audi's brother: and so +I smote down Helm Gunnar in the fight; and Odin, in vengeance for that +deed, stuck the sleep-thorn into me, and said that I should never +again have the victory, but should be given away in marriage; but +thereagainst I vowed a vow, that never would I wed one who knew the +name of fear." + +Then said Sigurd, "Teach us the lore of mighty matters!" + +She said, "Belike thou cannest more skill in all than I; yet will I +teach thee; yea, and with thanks, if there be aught of my cunning that +will in anywise pleasure thee, either of runes or of other matters that +are the root of things; but now let us drink together, and may the Gods +give to us twain a good day, that thou mayst win good help and fame +from my wisdom, and that thou mayst hereafter mind thee of that which we +twain speak together." + +Then Brynhild filled a beaker and bore it to Sigurd, and gave him the +drink of love, and spake-- + + "Beer bring I to thee, + Fair fruit of the byrnies' clash, + Mixed is it mightily, + Mingled with fame, + Brimming with bright lays + And pitiful runes, + Wise words, sweet words, + Speech of great game. + + "Runes of war know thou, + If great thou wilt be! + Cut them on hilt of hardened sword, + Some on the brand's back, + Some on its shining side, + Twice name Tyr therein. + + "Sea-runes good at need, + Learnt for ship's saving, + For the good health of the swimming horse; + On the stern cut them, + Cut them on the rudder-blade + And set flame to shaven oar: + Howso big be the sea-hills, + Howso blue beneath, + Hail from the main then comest thou home. + + "Word-runes learn well + If thou wilt that no man + Pay back grief for the grief thou gavest; + Wind thou these, + Weave thou these, + Cast thou these all about thee, + At the Thing, + Where folk throng, + Unto the full doom faring. + + "Of ale-runes know the wisdom + If thou wilt that another's wife + Should not bewray thine heart that trusteth: + Cut them on the mead-horn, + On the back of each hand, + And nick an N upon thy nail. + + "Ale have thou heed + To sign from all harm + Leek lay thou in the liquor, + Then I know for sure + Never cometh to thee, + Mead with hurtful matters mingled. + + "Help-runes shalt thou gather + If skill thou wouldst gain + To loosen child from low-laid mother; + Cut be they in hands hollow, + Wrapped the joints round about; + Call for the Good-folks' gainsome helping. + + "Learn the bough-runes wisdom + If leech-lore thou lovest; + And wilt wot about wounds' searching + On the bark be they scored; + On the buds of trees + Whose boughs look eastward ever. + + "Thought-runes shalt thou deal with + If thou wilt be of all men + Fairest-souled wight, and wisest, + These areded + These first cut + These first took to heart high Hropt. + + "On the shield were they scored + That stands before the shining God, + On Early-waking's ear, + On All-knowing's hoof, + On the wheel which runneth + Under Rognir's chariot; + On Sleipnir's jaw-teeth, + On the sleigh's traces. + + "On the rough bear's paws, + And on Bragi's tongue, + On the wolf's claws, + And on eagle's bill, + On bloody wings, + And bridge's end; + On loosing palms, + And pity's path: + + "On glass, and on gold, + And on goodly silver, + In wine and in wort, + And the seat of the witch-wife; + On Gungnir's point, + And Grani's bosom; + On the Norn's nail, + And the neb of the night-owl. + + "All these so cut, + Were shaven and sheared, + And mingled in with holy mead, + And sent upon wide ways enow; + Some abide with the Elves, + Some abide with the Aesir, + Or with the wise Vanir, + Some still hold the sons of mankind. + + "These be the book-runes, + And the runes of good help, + And all the ale-runes, + And the runes of much might; + To whomso they may avail, + Unbewildered unspoilt; + They are wholesome to have: + Thrive thou with these then. + When thou hast learnt their lore, + Till the Gods end thy life-days. + + "Now shalt thou choose thee + E'en as choice is bidden, + Sharp steel's root and stem, + Choose song or silence; + See to each in thy heart, + All hurt has been heeded." + +Then answered Sigurd-- + + "Ne'er shall I flee, + Though thou wottest me fey; + Never was I born for blenching, + Thy loved rede will I + Hold aright in my heart + Even as long as I may live." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The stanzas on the two following pages were inserted here + from "Sigrdrifasmal" by the translators. + (2) Goddesses. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. More Wise Words of Brynhild. + +Sigurd spake now, "Sure no wiser woman than thou art one may be found in +the wide world; yea, yea, teach me more yet of thy wisdom!" + +She answers, "Seemly is it that I do according to thy will, and show +thee forth more redes of great avail, for thy prayer's sake and thy +wisdom;" and she spake withal-- + +"Be kindly to friend and kin, and reward not their trespasses against +thee; bear and forbear, and win for thee thereby long enduring praise of +men. + +"Take good heed of evil things: a may's love, and a man's wife; full oft +thereof doth ill befall! + +"Let not thy mind be overmuch crossed by unwise men at thronged meetings +of folk; for oft these speak worse than they wot of; lest thou be called +a dastard, and art minded to think that thou art even as is said; slay +such an one on another day, and so reward his ugly talk. + +"If thou farest by the way whereas bide evil things, be well ware of +thyself; take not harbour near the highway, though thou be benighted, +for oft abide there ill wights for men's bewilderment. + +"Let not fair women beguile thee, such as thou mayst meet at the feast, +so that the thought thereof stand thee in stead of sleep, and a quiet +mind; yea, draw them not to thee with kisses or other sweet things of +love. + +"If thou hearest the fool's word of a drunken man, strive not with him +being drunk with drink and witless; many a grief, yea, and the very +death, groweth from out such things. + +"Fight thy foes in the field, nor be burnt in thine house. + +'Never swear thou wrongsome oath; great and grim is the reward for the +breaking of plighted troth. + +"Give kind heed to dead men,--sick-dead, Sea-dead; deal heedfully with +their dead corpses. + +"Trow never in him for whom thou hast slain father, brother, or whatso +near kin, yea, though young he be; 'for oft waxes wolf in youngling'. + +"Look thou with good heed to the wiles of thy friends; but little skill +is given to me, that I should foresee the ways of thy life; yet good it +were that hate fell not on thee from those of thy wife's house." + +Sigurd spake, "None among the sons of men can be found wiser than thou; +and thereby swear I, that thee will I have as my own, for near to my +heart thou liest." + +She answers, "Thee would I fainest choose, though I had all men's sons +to choose from." + +And thereto they plighted troth both of them. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. (1) + +Now Sigurd rides away; many-folded is his shield, and blazing with red +gold, and the image of a dragon is drawn thereon; and this same was dark +brown above, and bright red below; and with even such-like image was +adorned helm, and saddle, and coat-armour; and he was clad in the golden +byrny, and all his weapons were gold wrought. + +Now for this cause was the drake drawn on all his weapons, that when he +was seen of men, all folk might know who went there; yea, all those who +had heard of his slaying of that great dragon, that the Voerings call +Fafnir; and for that cause are his weapons gold-wrought, and brown +of hue, and that he was by far above other men in courtesy and goodly +manners, and well-nigh in all things else; and whenas folk tell of all +the mightiest champions, and the noblest chiefs, then ever is he named +the foremost, and his name goes wide about on all tongues north of the +sea of the Greek-lands, and even so shall it be while the world endures. + +Now the hair of this Sigurd was golden-red of hue, fair of fashion, and +falling down in great locks; thick and short was his beard, and of no +other colour, high-nosed he was, broad and high-boned of face; so +keen were his eyes, that few durst gaze up under the brows of him; his +shoulders were as broad to look on as the shoulders of two; most duly +was his body fashioned betwixt height and breadth, and in such wise as +was seemliest; and this is the sign told of his height, that when he was +girt with his sword Gram, which same was seven spans long, as he went +through the full-grown rye-fields, the dew-shoe of the said sword smote +the ears of the standing corn; and, for all that, greater was his +strength than his growth: well could he wield sword, and cast forth +spear, shoot shaft, and hold shield, bend bow, back horse, and do all +the goodly deeds that he learned in his youth's days. + +Wise he was to know things yet undone; and the voice of all fowls he +knew, wherefore few things fell on him unawares. + +Of many words he was, and so fair of speech withal, that whensoever he +made it his business to speak, he never left speaking before that to all +men it seemed full sure, that no otherwise must the matter be than as he +said. + +His sport and pleasure it was to give aid to his own folk, and to prove +himself in mighty matters, to take wealth from his unfriends, and give +the same to his friends. + +Never did he lose heart, and of naught was he adrad. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is nearly literally the same as chapter 166 of + the "Wilkinasaga"; Ed.: Perinskiold, Stockholm, 1715. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. Sigurd comes to Hlymdale. + +Forth Sigurd rides till he comes to a great and goodly dwelling, the +lord whereof was a mighty chief called Heimir; he had to wife a sister +of Brynhild, who was hight Bekkhild, because she had bidden at home, and +learned handicraft, whereas Brynhild fared with helm and byrny unto the +wars, wherefore was she called Brynhild. + +Heimir and Bekkhild had a son called Alswid, the most courteous of men. + +Now at this stead were men disporting them abroad, but when they see +the man riding thereto, they leave their play to wonder at him, for none +such had they ever seen erst; so they went to meet him, and gave him +good welcome; Alswid bade him abide and have such things at his hands as +he would; and he takes his bidding blithesomely; due service withal was +established for him; four men bore the treasure of gold from off the +horse, and the fifth took it to him to guard the same; therein were many +things to behold, things of great price, and seldom seen; and great +game and joy men had to look on byrnies and helms, and mighty rings, and +wondrous great golden stoups, and all kinds of war weapons. + +So there dwelt Sigurd long in great honour holden; and tidings of that +deed of fame spread wide through all lands, of how he had slain that +hideous and fearful dragon. So good joyance had they there together, +and each was leal to other; and their sport was in the arraying of +their weapons, and the shafting of their arrows, and the flying of their +falcons. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. Sigurd sees Brynhild at Hlymdale. + +In those days came home to Heimir, Brynhild, his foster-daughter, +and she sat in her bower with her maidens, and could more skill in +handycraft than other women; she sat, overlaying cloth with gold, and +sewing therein the great deeds which Sigurd had wrought, the slaying of +the Worm, and the taking of the wealth of him, and the death of Regin +withal. + +Now tells the tale, that on a day Sigurd rode into the wood with hawk, +and hound, and men thronging; and whenas he came home his hawk flew up +to a high tower, and sat him down on a certain window. Then fared Sigurd +after his hawk, and he saw where sat a fair woman, and knew that it was +Brynhild, and he deems all things he sees there to be worthy together, +both her fairness, and the fair things she wrought: and therewith he +goes into the hall, but has no more joyance in the games of the men +folk. + +Then spake Alswid, "Why art thou so bare of bliss? this manner of thine +grieveth us thy friends; why then wilt thou not hold to thy gleesome +ways? Lo, thy hawks pine now, and thy horse Grani droops; and long will +it be ere we are booted thereof?" + +Sigurd answered, "Good friend, hearken to what lies on my mind; for my +hawk flew up into a certain tower; and when I came thereto and took him, +lo there I saw a fair woman, and she sat by a needlework of gold, and +did thereon my deeds that are passed, and my deeds that are to come." + +Then said Alswid, "Thou has seen Brynhild, Budli's daughter, the +greatest of great women." + +"Yea, verily," said Sigurd; "but how came she hither?" + +Aswid answered, "Short space there was betwixt the coming hither of the +twain of you." + +Says Sigurd, "Yea, but a few days agone I knew her for the best of the +world's women." + +Alswid said, "Give not all thine heed to one woman, being such a man as +thou art; ill life to sit lamenting for what we may not have." + +"I shall go meet her," says Sigurd, "and get from her love like my love, +and give her a gold ring in token thereof." + +Alswid answered, "None has ever yet been known whom she would let sit +beside her, or to whom she would give drink; for ever will she hold to +warfare and to the winning of all kinds of fame." + +Sigurd said, "We know not for sure whether she will give us answer or +not, or grant us a seat beside her." + +So the next day after, Sigurd went to the bower, but Alswid stood +outside the bower door, fitting shafts to his arrows. + +Now Sigurd spake, "Abide, fair and hale lady,--how farest thou?" + +She answered, "Well it fares; my kin and my friends live yet: but who +shall say what goodhap folk may bear to their life's end?" + +He sat him down by her, and there came in four damsels with great golden +beakers, and the best of wine therein; and these stood before the twain. + +Then said Brynhild, "This seat is for few, but and if my father come." + +He answered, "Yet is it granted to one that likes me well." + +Now that chamber was hung with the best and fairest of hangings, and the +floor thereof was all covered with cloth. + +Sigurd spake, "Now has it come to pass even as thou didst promise." + +"O be thou welcome here!" said she, and arose therewith, and the four +damsels with her, and bore the golden beaker to him, and bade him drink; +he stretched out his hand to the beaker, and took it, and her hand +withal, and drew her down beside him; and cast his arms round about her +neck and kissed her, and said-- + +"Thou art the fairest that was ever born!" + +But Brynhild said, "Ah, wiser is it not to cast faith and troth into a +woman's power, for ever shall they break that they have promised." + +He said, "That day would dawn the best of days over our heads whereon +each of each should be made happy." + +Brynhild answered, "It is not fated that we should abide together; I am +a shield-may, and wear helm on head even as the kings of war, and them +full oft I help, neither is the battle become loathsome to me." + +Sigurd answered, "What fruit shall be of our life, if we live not +together: harder to bear this pain that lies hereunder, than the stroke +of sharp sword." + +Brynhild answers, "I shall gaze on the hosts of the war-kings, but thou +shalt wed Gudrun, the daughter of Giuki." + +Sigurd answered, "What king's daughter lives to beguile me? neither am +I double-hearted herein; and now I swear by the Gods that thee shall I +have for mine own, or no woman else." + +And even suchlike wise spake she. + +Sigurd thanked her for her speech, and gave her a gold ring, and now +they swore oath anew, and so he went his ways to his men, and is with +them awhile in great bliss. + + + +CHAPTER XXV. Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter. + +There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; +three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun +was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these +children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and +in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars +and wrought many a deed of fame. But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the +Wise-wife. + +Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they +both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man +and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and +the greatest of warriors. Grimhild was a fierce-hearted woman. + +Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those +children, so far before the sons of men. + +On a day Gudrun says to her mays that she may have no joy of heart; then +a certain woman asked her wherefore her joy was departed. + +She answered, "Grief came to me in my dreams, therefore is there sorrow +in my heart, since thou must needs ask thereof." + +"Tell it me, then, thy dream," said the woman, "for dreams oft forecast +but the weather." + +Gudrun answers, "Nay, nay, no weather is this; I dreamed that I had a +fair hawk on my wrist, feathered with feathers of gold." + +Says the woman, "Many have heard tell of thy beauty, thy wisdom, and thy +courtesy; some king's son abides thee, then." + +Gudrun answers, "I dreamed that naught was so dear to me as this hawk, +and all my wealth had I cast aside rather than him." + +The woman said, "Well, then, the man thou shalt have will be of the +goodliest, and well shalt thou love him." + +Gudrun answered, "It grieves me that I know not who he shall be; let us +go seek Brynhild, for she belike will wot thereof." + +So they arrayed them in gold and many a fair thing, and she went with +her damsels till they came to the hall of Brynhild, and that hall was +dight with gold, and stood on a high hill; and whenas their goings were +seen, it was told Brynhild, that a company of women drove toward the +burg in gilded waggons. + +"That shall be Gudrun, Giuki's daughter," says she: "I dreamed of her +last night; let us go meet her! No fairer woman may come to our house." + +So they went abroad to meet them, and gave them good greeting, and they +went into the goodly hall together; fairly painted it was within, and +well adorned with silver vessel; cloths were spread under the feet of +them, and all folk served them, and in many wise they sported. + +But Gudrun was somewhat silent. + +Then said Brynhild, "Ill to abash folk of their mirth; prithee do not +so; let us talk together for our disport of mighty kings and their great +deeds." + +"Good talk," says Gudrun, "let us do even so; what kings deemest thou to +have been the first of all men?" + +Brynhild says, "The sons of Haki, and Hagbard withal; they brought to +pass many a deed of fame in the warfare." + +Gudrun answers, "Great men certes, and of noble fame! Yet Sigar took +their one sister, and burned the other, house and all; and they may be +called slow to revenge the deed; why didst thou not name my brethren, who +are held to be the first of men as at this time?" + +Brynhild says, "Men of good hope are they surely, though but little +proven hitherto; but one I know far before them, Sigurd, the son of +Sigmund the king; a youngling was he in the days when he slew the sons +of Hunding, and revenged his father, and Eylimi, his mother's father." + +Said Gudrun, "By what token tellest thou that?" + +Brynhild answered, "His mother went amid the dead, and found Sigmund the +king sore wounded, and would bind up his hurts; but he said he grew over +old for war, and bade her lay this comfort to her heart, that she should +bear the most famed of sons; and wise was the wise man's word therein: +for after the death of King Sigmund, she went to King Alf, and there was +Sigurd nourished in great honour, and day by day he wrought some deed of +fame, and is the man most renowned of all the wide world." + +Gudrun says, "From love hast thou gained these tidings of him; but for +this cause came I here, to tell thee dreams of mine which have brought +me great grief." + +Says Brynhild, "Let not such matters sadden thee; abide with thy friends +who wish thee blithesome, all of them!" + +"This I dreamed," said Gudrun, "that we went, a many of us in company, +from the bower, and we saw an exceeding great hart, that far excelled +all other deer ever seen, and the hair of him was golden; and this +deer we were all fain to take, but I alone got him; and he seemed to me +better than all things else; but sithence thou, Byrnhild, didst shoot +and slay my deer even at my very knees, and such grief was that to +me that scarce might I bear it; and then afterwards thou gavest me a +wolf-cub, which besprinkled me with the blood of my brethren." + +Brynhild answers, "I will arede thy dream, even as things shall come +to pass hereafter; for Sigurd shall come to thee, even he whom I have +chosen for my well-beloved; and Grimhild shall give him mead mingled +with hurtful things, which shall cast us all into mighty strife. Him +shalt thou have, and him shalt thou quickly miss; and Atli the king +shalt thou wed; and thy brethren shalt thou lose, and slay Atli withal +in the end." + +Gudrun answers, "Grief and woe to know that such things shall be!" + +And therewith she and hers get them gone home to King Giuki. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. Sigurd comes to the Giukings and is wedded to Gudrun. + +Now Sigurd goes his ways with all that great treasure, and in friendly +wise he departs from them; and on Grani he rides with all his war-gear +and the burden withal; and thus he rides until he comes to the hall +of King Giuki; there he rides into the burg, and that sees one of the +king's men, and he spake withal-- + +"Sure it may be deemed that here is come one of the Gods, for his array +is all done with gold, and his horse is far mightier than other horses, +and the manner of his weapons is most exceeding goodly, and most of all +the man himself far excels all other men ever seen." + +So the king goes out with his court and greets the man, and asks-- + +"Who art thou who thus ridest into my burg, as none has durst hitherto +without the leave of my sons?" + +He answered, "I am called Sigurd, son of King Sigmund." + +Then said King Giuki, "Be thou welcome here then, and take at our hands +whatso thou willest." + +So he went into the king's hall, and all men seemed little beside him, +and all men served him, and there he abode in great joyance. + +Now oft they all ride abroad together, Sigurd and Gunnar and Hogni, +and ever is Sigurd far the foremost of them, mighty men of their hands +though they were. + +But Grimhild finds how heartily Sigurd loved Brynhild, and how oft he +talks of her; and she falls to thinking how well it were, if he might +abide there and wed the daughter of King Giuki, for she saw that none +might come anigh to his goodliness, and what faith and goodhelp there +was in him, and how that he had more wealth withal than folk might tell +of any man; and the king did to him even as unto his own sons, and they +for their parts held him of more worth than themselves. + +So on a night as they sat at the drink, the queen arose, and went before +Sigurd, and said-- + +"Great joy we have in thine abiding here, and all good things will +we put before thee to take of us; lo now, take this horn and drink +thereof." + +So he took it and drank, and therewithal she said, "Thy father shall be +Giuki the king, and I shall be thy mother, and Gunnar and Hogni shall be +thy brethren, and all this shall be sworn with oaths each to each; and +then surely shall the like of you never be found on earth." + +Sigurd took her speech well, for with the drinking of that drink all +memory of Brynhild departed from him. So there he abode awhile. + +And on a day went Grimhild to Giuki the king, and cast her arms about +his neck, and spake-- + +"Behold, there has now come to us the greatest of great hearts that the +world holds; and needs must he be trusty and of great avail; give him +thy daughter then, with plenteous wealth, and as much of rule as he +will; perchance thereby he will be well content to abide here ever." + +The king answered, "Seldom does it befall that kings offer their +daughters to any; yet in higher wise will it be done to offer her to +this man, than to take lowly prayers for her from others." + +On a night Gudrun pours out the drink, and Sigurd beholds her how fair +she is and how full of all courtesy. + +Five seasons Sigurd abode there, and ever they passed their days +together in good honour and friendship. + +And so it befell that the kings held talk together, and Giuki said -- + +"Great good thou givest us, Sigurd, and with exceeding strength thou +strengthenest our realm." + +Then Gunnar said, "All things that may be will we do for thee, so thou +abidest here long; both dominion shalt thou have, and our sister freely +and unprayed for, whom another man would not get for all his prayers." + +Sigurd says, "Thanks have ye for this wherewith ye honour me, and +gladly will I take the same." + +Therewith they swore brotherhood together, and to be even as if they +were children of one father and one mother; and a noble feast was +holden, and endured many days, and Sigurd drank at the wedding of him +and Gudrun; and there might men behold all manner of game and glee, and +each day the feast better and better. + +Now fare these folk wide over the world, and do many great deeds, and +slay many kings' sons, and no man has ever done such works of prowess as +did they; then home they come again with much wealth won in war. + +Sigurd gave of the serpent's heart to Gudrun, and she ate thereof, and +became greater-hearted, and wiser than ere before: and the son of these +twain was called Sigmund. + +Now on a time went Grimhild to Gunnar her son, and spake-- + +"Fair blooms the life and fortune of thee, but for one thing only, and +namely whereas thou art unwedded; go woo Brynhild; good rede is this, +and Sigurd will ride with thee." + +Gunnar answered, "Fair is she certes, and I am fain enow to win her;" +and therewith he tells his father, and his brethren, and Sigurd, and +they all prick him on to that wooing. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. The Wooing of Brynhild. + +Now they array them joyously for their journey, and ride over hill and +dale to the house of King Budli, and woo his daughter of him; in a good +wise he took their speech, if so be that she herself would not deny +them; but he said withal that so high-minded was she, that that man +only might wed her whom she would. + +Then they ride to Hlymdale, and there Heimir gave them good welcome; so +Gunnar tells his errand; Heimir says, that she must needs wed but him +whom she herself chose freely; and tells them how her abode was but a +little way thence, and that he deemed that him only would she have who +should ride through the flaming fire that was drawn round about her +hall; so they depart and come to the hall and the fire, and see there a +castle with a golden roof-ridge, and all round about a fire roaring up. + +Now Gunnar rode on Goti, but Hogni on Holkvi, and Gunnar smote his horse +to face the fire, but he shrank aback. + +Then said Sigurd, "Why givest thou back, Gunnar?" + +He answered, "The horse will not tread this fire; but lend me thy horse +Grani." + +"Yea, with all my good will," says Sigurd. + +Then Gunnar rides him at the fire, and yet nowise will Gram stir, nor +may Gunnar any the more ride through that fire. So now they change +semblance, Gunnar and Sigurd, even as Grimhild had taught them; then +Sigurd in the likeness of Gunnar mounts and rides, Gram in his hand, and +golden spurs on his heels; then leapt Grani into the fire when he felt +the spurs; and a mighty roar arose as the fire burned ever madder, and +the earth trembled, and the flames went up even unto the heavens, nor +had any dared to ride as he rode, even as it were through the deep mirk. + +But now the fire sank withal, and he leapt from his horse and went into +the hall, even as the song says-- + + "The flame flared at its maddest, + Earth's fields fell a-quaking + As the red flame aloft + Licked the lowest of heaven. + Few had been fain, + Of the rulers of folk, + To ride through that flame, + Or athwart it to tread. + + "Then Sigurd smote + Grani with sword, + And the flame was slaked + Before the king; + Low lay the flames + Before the fain of fame; + Bright gleamed the array + That Regin erst owned. + +Now when Sigurd had passed through the fire, he came into a certain fair +dwelling, and therein sat Brynhild. + +She asked, "What man is it?" + +Then he named himself Gunnar, son of Giuki, and said--"Thou art awarded +to me as my wife, by the good will and word of thy father and thy +foster-father, and I have ridden through the flames of thy fire, +according to thy word that thou hast set forth." + +"I wot not clearly," said she, "how I shall answer thee." + +Now Sigurd stood upright on the hall floor, and leaned on the hilt of +his sword, and he spake to Brynhild-- + +"In reward thereof, shall I pay thee a great dower in gold and goodly +things?" + +She answered in heavy mood from her seat, whereas she sat like unto swan +on billow, having a sword in her hand, and a helm on her head, and being +clad in a byrny, "O Gunnar," she says, "speak not to me of such things, +unless thou be the first and best of all men; for then shalt thou slay +those my wooers, if thou hast heart thereto; I have been in battles with +the king of the Greeks, and our weapons were stained with red blood, and for +such things still I yearn." + +He answered, "Yea, certes many great deeds hast thou done; but yet call +thou to mind thine oath, concerning the riding through of this fire, +wherein thou didst swear that thou wouldst go with the man who should do +this deed." + +So she found that he spoke but the sooth, and she paid heed to his +words, and arose, and greeted him meetly, and he abode there three +nights, and they lay in one bed together; but he took the sword Gram and +laid it betwixt them: then she asked him why he laid it there; and he +answered, that in that wise must he needs wed his wife or else get his +bane. + +Then she took from off her the ring Andvari's-loom, which he had given +her aforetime, and gave it to him, but he gave her another ring out of +Fafnir's hoard. + +Thereafter he rode away through the same fire unto his fellows, and he +and Gunnar changed semblances again, and rode unto Hlymdale, and told +how it had gone with them. + +That same day went Brynhild home to her foster-father, and tells him +as one whom she trusted, how that there had come a king to her; "And he +rode through my flaming fire, and said he was come to woo me, and named +himself Gunnar; but I said that such a deed might Sigurd alone have +done, with whom I plighted troth on the mountain; and he is my first +troth-plight, and my well-beloved." + +Heimir said that things must needs abide even as now they had now come +to pass. + +Brynhild said, "Aslaug the daughter of me and Sigurd shall be nourished +here with thee." + +Now the kings fare home, but Brynhild goes to her father; Grimhild +welcomes the kings meetly, and thanks Sigurd for his fellowship; and +withal is a great feast made, and many were the guests thereat; and +thither came Budli the King with his daughter Brynhild, and his son +Atli, and for many days did the feast endure: and at that feast was +Gunnar wedded to Brynhild: but when it was brought to an end, once more +has Sigurd memory of all the oaths that he sware unto Brynhild, yet +withal he let all things abide in rest and peace. + +Brynhild and Gunnar sat together in great game and glee, and drank +goodly wine. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. How the Queens held angry converse together at the +Bathing. + +On a day as the Queens went to the river to bathe them, Brynhild waded +the farthest out into the river; then asked Gudrun what that deed might +signify. + +Brynhild said, "Yea, and why then should I be equal to thee in this +matter more than in others? I am minded to think that my father is +mightier than thine, and my true love has wrought many wondrous works of +fame, and hath ridden the flaming fire withal, while thy husband was but +the thrall of King Hjalprek." + +Gudrun answered full of wrath, "Thou wouldst be wise if thou shouldst +hold thy peace rather than revile my husband: lo now, the talk of all +men it is, that none has ever abode in this world like unto him in all +matters soever; and little it beseems thee of all folk to mock him who +was thy first beloved: and Fafnir he slew, yea, and he rode thy flaming +fire, whereas thou didst deem that he was Gunnar the King, and by thy +side he lay, and took from thine hand the ring Andvari's-loom;--here +mayst thou well behold it!" + +Then Brynhild saw the ring and knew it, and waxed as wan as a dead +woman, and she went home and spake no word the evening long. + +So when Sigurd came to bed to Gudrun she asked him why Brynhild's joy +was so departed. + +He answered, "I know not, but sore I misdoubt me that soon we shall know +thereof overwell." + +Gudrun said, "Why may she not love her life, having wealth and bliss, +and the praise of all men, and the man withal that she would have?" + +"Ah, yea!" said Sigurd, "and where in all the world was she then, when +she said that she deemed she had the noblest of all men, and the dearest +to her heart of all?" + +Gudrun answers, "Tomorn will I ask her concerning this, who is the +liefest to her of all men for a husband." + +Sigurd said, "Needs must I forbid thee this, and full surely wilt thou +rue the deed if thou doest it." + +Now the next morning they sat in the bower, and Brynhild was silent; +then spake Gudrun-- + +"Be merry, Brynhild! Grievest thou because of that speech of ours +together, or what other thing slayeth thy bliss?" + +Brynhild answers, "With naught but evil intent thou sayest this, for a +cruel heart thou hast." + +"Say not so," said Gudrun; "but rather tell me all the tale." + +Brynhild answers, "Ask such things only as are good for thee to +know--matters meet for mighty dames. Good to love good things when all +goes according to thy heart's desire!" + +Gudrun says, "Early days for me to glory in that; but this word of thine +looketh toward some foreseeing. What ill dost thou thrust at us? I did +naught to grieve thee." + +Brynhild answers, "For this shalt thou pay, in that thou hast got Sigurd +to thee,--nowise can I see thee living in the bliss thereof, whereas +thou hast him, and the wealth and the might of him." + +But Gudrun answered, "Naught knew I of your words and vows together; and +well might my father look to the mating of me without dealing with thee +first." + +"No secret speech had we," quoth Brynhild, "though we swore oath +together; and full well didst thou know that thou wentest about to +beguile me; verily thou shalt have thy reward!" + +Says Gudrun, "Thou art mated better than thou are worthy of; but thy +pride and rage shall be hard to slake belike, and therefor shall many a +man pay." + +"Ah, I should be well content," said Brynhild, "if thou hadst not the +nobler man!" + +Gudrun answers, "So noble a husband hast thou, that who knows of a +greater king or a lord of more wealth and might?" + +Says Brynhild, "Sigurd slew Fafnir, and that only deed is of more worth +than all the might of King Gunnar." + +(Even as the song says): + + "The worm Sigurd slew, + Nor e'er shall that deed + Be worsened by age + While the world is alive: + But thy brother the King + Never durst, never bore + The flame to ride down + Through the fire to fare." + +Gudrun answers, "Grani would not abide the fire under Gunnar the King, +but Sigurd durst the deed, and thy heart may well abide without mocking +him." + +Brynhild answers, "Nowise will I hide from thee that I deem no good of +Grimhild." + +Says Gudrun, "Nay, lay no ill words on her, for in all things she is to +thee as to her own daughter." + +"Ah," says Brynhild, "she is the beginning of all this hale that biteth +so; an evil drink she bare to Sigurd, so that he had no more memory of +my very name." + +"All wrong thou talkest; a lie without measure is this," quoth Gudrun. + +Brynhild answered, "Have thou joy of Sigurd according to the measure of +the wiles wherewith ye have beguiled me! Unworthily have ye conspired +against me; may all things go with you as my heart hopes!" + +Gudrun says, "More joy shall I have of him than thy wish would give unto +me: but to no man's mind it came, that he had aforetime his pleasure of +me; nay not once." + +"Evil speech thou speakest," says Brynhild; "when thy wrath runs off +thou wilt rue it; but come now, let us no more cast angry words one at +the other!" + +Says Gudrun, "Thou wert the first to cast such words at me, and now thou +makest as if thou wouldst amend it, but a cruel and hard heart abides +behind." + +"Let us lay aside vain babble," says Brynhild. "Long did I hold my peace +concerning my sorrow of heart, and, lo now, thy brother alone do I love; +let us fall to other talk." + +Gudrun said, "Far beyond all this doth thine heart look." + +And so ugly ill befell from that going to the river, and that knowing of +the ring, wherefrom did all their talk arise. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. Of Brynhild's great Grief and Mourning. + +After this talk Brynhild lay a-bed, and tidings were brought to King +Gunnar that Brynhild was sick; he goes to see her thereon, and asks what +ails her; but she answered him naught, but lay there as one dead: and +when he was hard on her for an answer, she said-- + +"What didst thou with that ring that I gave thee, even the one which +King Budli gave me at our last parting, when thou and King Giuki came to +him and threatened fire and the sword, unless ye had me to wife? Yea, at +that time he led me apart, and asked me which I had chosen of those who +were come; but I prayed him that I might abide to ward the land and be +chief over the third part of his men; then were there two choices for me +to deal betwixt, either that I should be wedded to him whom he would, or +lose all my weal and friendship at his hands; and he said withal that +his friendship would be better to me than his wrath: then I bethought me +whether I should yield to his will, or slay many a man; and therewithal +I deemed that it would avail little to strive with him, and so it fell +out, that I promised to wed whomsoever should ride the horse Grani with +Fafnir's Hoard, and ride through my flaming fire, and slay those men +whom I called on him to slay, and now so it was, that none durst ride, +save Sigurd only, because he lacked no heart thereto; yea, and the Worm +he slew, and Regin, and five kings beside; but thou, Gunnar, durst do +naught; as pale as a dead man didst thou wax, and no king thou art, +and no champion; so whereas I made a vow unto my father, that him alone +would I love who was the noblest man alive, and that this is none save +Sigurd, lo, now have I broken my oath and brought it to naught, since +he is none of mine, and for this cause shall I compass thy death; and a +great reward of evil things have I wherewith to reward Grimhild;--never, +I wot, has woman lived eviler or of lesser heart than she." + +Gunnar answered in such wise that few might hear him, "Many a vile +word hast thou spoken, and an evil-hearted woman art thou, whereas thou +revilest a woman far better than thou; never would she curse her life +as thou dost; nay, nor has she tormented dead folk, or murdered any; but +lives her life well praised of all." + +Brynhild answered, "Never have I dwelt with evil things privily, or done +loathsome deeds;--yet most fain I am to slay thee." + +And therewith would she slay King Gunnar, but Hogni laid her in fetters; +but then Gunnar spake withal-- + +"Nay, I will not that she abide in fetters." + +Then said she, "Heed it not! For never again seest thou me glad in thine +hall, never drinking, never at the chess-play, never speaking the words +of kindness, never over-laying the fair cloths with gold, never giving +thee good counsel;--ah, my sorrow of heart that I might not get Sigurd +to me!" + +Then she sat up and smote her needlework, and rent it asunder, and bade +set open her bower doors, that far away might the wailings of her sorrow +be heard; then great mourning and lamentation there was, so that folk +heard it far and wide through that abode. + +Now Gudrun asked her bower-maidens why they sat so joyless and downcast. +"What has come to you, that ye fare ye as witless women, or what +unheard-of wonders have befallen you?" + +Then answered a waiting lady, hight Swaflod, "An untimely, an evil day +it is, and our hall is fulfilled of lamentation." + +Then spake Gudrun to one of her handmaids, "Arise, for we have slept +long; go, wake Brynhild, and let us fall to our needlework and be +merry." + +"Nay, nay," she says, "nowise may I wake her, or talk with her; for many +days has she drunk neither mead nor wine; surely the wrath of the Gods +has fallen upon her." + +Then spake Gudrun to Gunnar, "Go and see her," she says, "and bid her +know that I am grieved with her grief." + +"Nay," says Gunnar, "I am forbid to go see her or to share her weal." + +Nevertheless he went unto her, and strives in many wise to have speech +of her, but gets no answer whatsoever; therefore he gets him gone and +finds Hogni, and bids him go see her: he said he was loth thereto, but +went, and gat no more of her. + +Then they go and find Sigurd, and pray him to visit her; he answered +naught thereto, and so matters abode for that night. + +But the next day, when he came home from hunting, Sigurd went to Gudrun, +and spake-- + +"In such wise do matters show to me, as though great and evil things +will betide from this trouble and upheaving; and that Brynhild will +surely die." + +Gudrun answers, "O my lord, by great wonders is she encompassed, seven +days and seven nights has she slept, and none has dared wake her." + +"Nay, she sleeps not," said Sigurd, "her heart is dealing rather with +dreadful intent against me." + +Then said Gudrun, weeping, "Woe worth the while for thy death! Go and +see her; and wot if her fury may not be abated; give her gold, and +smother up her grief and anger therewith!" + +Then Sigurd went out, and found the door of Brynhild's chamber open; he +deemed she slept, and drew the clothes from off her, and said-- + +"Awake, Brynhild! The sun shineth now over all the house, and thou hast +slept enough; cast off grief from thee, and take up gladness!" + +She said, "And how then hast thou dared to come to me? in this treason +none was worse to me than thou." + +Said Sigurd, "Why wilt thou not speak to folk? for what cause sorrowest +thou?" + +Brynhild answers, "Ah, to thee will I tell of my wrath!" + +Sigurd said, "As one under a spell art thou, if thou deemest that there +is aught cruel in my heart against thee; but thou hast him for husband +whom thou didst choose." + +"Ah, nay," she said, "never did Gunnar ride through the fire to me, nor +did he give me to dower the host of the slain: I wondered at the man +who came into my hall; for I deemed indeed that I knew thine eyes; but I +might not see clearly, or divide the good from the evil, because of the +veil that lay heavy on my fortune." + +Says Sigurd, "No nobler men are there than the sons of Giuki, they slew +the king of the Danes, and that great chief, the brother of King Budli." + +Brynhild answered, "Surely for many an ill-deed must I reward them; mind +me not of my griefs against them! But thou, Sigurd, slewest the Worm, +and rodest the fire through; yea, and for my sake, and not one of the +sons of King Giuki." + +Sigurd answers, "I am not thy husband, and thou art not my wife; yet did +a farfamed king pay dower to thee." + +Says Brynhild, "Never looked I at Gunnar in such a wise that my heart +smiled on him; and hard and fell am I to him, though I hide it from +others." + +"A marvellous thing," says Sigurd, "not to love such a king; what angers +thee most? for surely his love should be better to thee than gold." + +"This is the sorest sorrow to me," she said, "that the bitter sword is +not reddened in thy blood." + +"Have no fear thereof!" says he, "no long while to wait or the bitter +sword stand deep in my heart; and no worse needest thou to pray for +thyself, for thou wilt not live when I am dead; the days of our two +lives shall be few enough from henceforth." + +Brynhild answers, "Enough and to spare of bale is in thy speech, since +thou bewrayedst me, and didst twin (1) me and all bliss;--naught do I +heed my life or death." + +Sigurd answers, "Ah, live, and love King Gunnar and me withal! and all +my wealth will I give thee if thou die not." + +Brynhild answers, "Thou knowest me not, nor the heart that is in me; +for thou art the first and best of all men, and I am become the most +loathsome of all women to thee." + +"This is truer," says Sigurd, "that I loved thee better than myself, +though I fell into the wiles from whence our lives may not escape; for +whenso my own heart and mind availed me, then I sorrowed sore that thou +wert not my wife; but as I might I put my trouble from me, for in a +king's dwelling was I; and withal and in spite of all I was well content +that we were all together. Well may it be, that that shall come to pass +which is foretold; neither shall I fear the fulfilment thereof." + +Brynhild answered, and said, "Too late thou tellest me that my grief +grieved thee: little pity shall I find now." + +Sigurd said, "This my heart would, that thou and I should go into one +bed together; even so wouldst thou be my wife." + +Said Brynhild, "Such words may nowise be spoken, nor will I have two +kings in one hall; I will lay my life down rather than beguile Gunnar +the King." + +And therewith she call to mind how they met, they two, on the mountain, +and swore oath each to each. + +"But now is all changed, and I will not live." + +"I might not call to mind thy name," said Sigurd, "or know thee again, +before the time of thy wedding; the greatest of all griefs is that." + +Then said Brynhild, "I swore an oath to wed the man who should ride my +flaming fire, and that oath will I hold to, or die." + +"Rather than thou die, I will wed thee, and put away Gudrun," said +Sigurd. + +But therewithal so swelled the heart betwixt the sides of him, that the +rings of his byrny burst asunder. + +"I will not have thee," says Brynhild, "nay, nor any other!" + +Then Sigurd got him gone. + +So saith the song of Sigurd-- + + "Out then went Sigurd, + The great kings' well-loved, + From the speech and the sorrow, + Sore drooping, so grieving, + That the shirt round about him + Of iron rings woven, + From the sides brake asunder + Of the brave in the battle." + +So when Sigurd came into the hall, Gunnar asked if he had come to a +knowledge of what great grief lay heavy on her, or if she had power of +speech: and Sigurd said that she lacked it not. So now Gunnar goes +to her again, and asked her, what wrought her woe, or if there were +anything that might amend it. + +"I will not live," says Brynhild, "for Sigurd has bewrayed me, yea, +and thee no less, whereas thou didst suffer him to come into my bed: +lo thou, two men in one dwelling I will not have; and this shall be +Sigurd's death, or thy death, or my death;--for now has he told Gudrun +all, and she is mocking me even now!" + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Sunder. + + + +CHAPTER XXX. Of the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + +Thereafter Brynhild went out, and sat under her bower-wall, and had +many words of wailing to say, and still she cried that all things were +loathsome to her, both land and lordship alike, so she might not have +Sigurd. + +But therewith came Gunnar to her yet again, and Brynhild spake, "Thou +shalt lose both realm and wealth, and thy life and me, for I shall fare +home to my kin, and abide there in sorrow, unless thou slayest Sigurd +and his son; never nourish thou a wolfcub." + +Gunnar grew sick at heart thereat, and might nowise see what fearful +thing lay beneath it all; he was bound to Sigurd by oath, and this way +and that way swung the heart within him; but at the last he bethought +him of the measureless shame if his wife went from him, and he said +within himself, "Brynhild is better to me than all things else, and the +fairest woman of all women, and I will lay down my life rather than lose +the love of her." And herewith he called to him his brother and spake,-- + +"Trouble is heavy on me," and he tells him that he must needs slay +Sigurd, for that he has failed him where in he trusted him; "so let us +be lords of the gold and the realm withal." + +Hogni answers, "Ill it behoves us to break our oaths with wrack and +wrong, and withal great aid we have in him; no kings shall be as +great as we, if so be the King of the Hun-folk may live; such another +brother-in-law never may we get again; bethink thee how good it is to +have such a brother-in-law, and such sons to our sister! But well I see +how things stand, for this has Brynhild stirred thee up to, and surely +shall her counsel drag us into huge shame and scathe." + +Gunnar says, "Yet shall it be brought about: and, lo, a rede +thereto;--let us egg on our brother Guttorm to the deed; he is young, +and of little knowledge, and is clean out of all the oaths moreover." + +"Ah, set about in ill wise," says Hogni, "and though indeed it may well +be compassed, a due reward shall we gain for the bewrayal of such a man +as is Sigurd." + +Gunnar says, "Sigurd shall die, or I shall die." + +And therewith he bids Brynhild arise and be glad at heart: so she arose, +and still ever she said that Gunnar should come no more into her bed +till the deed was done. + +So the brothers fall to talk, and Gunnar says that it is a deed well +worthy of death, that taking of Brynhild's maidenhead; "So come now, let +us prick on Guttorm to do the deed." + +Therewith they call him to them, and offer him gold and great dominion, +as they well have might to do. Yea, and they took a certain worm and +somewhat of wolf's flesh and let seethe them together, and gave him to +eat of the same, even as the singer sings-- + + "Fish of the wild-wood, + Worm smooth crawling, + With wolf-meat mingled, + They minced for Guttorm; + Then in the beaker, + In the wine his mouth knew, + They set it, still doing + More deeds of wizards. + +Wherefore with the eating of this meat he grew so wild and eager, and +with all things about him, and with the heavy words of Grimhild, that +he gave his word to do the deed; and mighty honour they promised him in +reward thereof. + +But of these evil wiles naught at all knew Sigurd, for he might not deal +with his shapen fate, nor the measure of his life-days, neither deemed +he that he was worthy of such things at their hands. + +So Guttorm went in to Sigurd the next morning as he lay upon his bed, +yet durst he not do aught against him, but shrank back out again; yea, +and even so he fared a second time, for so bright and eager were the +eyes of Sigurd that few durst look upon him. But the third time he went +in, and there lay Sigurd asleep; then Guttorm drew his sword and thrust +Sigurd through in such wise that the sword point smote into the bed +beneath him; then Sigurd awoke with that wound, and Guttorm gat him unto +the door; but therewith Sigurd caught up the sword Gram, and cast it +after him, and it smote him on the back, and struck him asunder in the +midst, so that the feet of him fell one way, and the head and hands back +into the chamber. + +Now Gudrun lay asleep on Sigurd's bosom, but she woke up unto woe that +may not be told of, all swimming in the blood of him, and in such wise +did she bewail her with weeping and words of sorrow, that Sigurd rose up +on the bolster, and spake. + +"Weep not," said he, "for thy brothers live for thy delight; but a young +son have I, too young to be ware of his foes; and an ill turn have these +played against their own fortune; for never will they get a mightier +brother-in-law to ride abroad with them; nay, nor a better son to their +sister, than this one, if he may grow to man's estate. Lo, now is that +come to pass which was foretold me long ago, but from mine eyes has it +been hidden, for none may fight against his fate and prevail. Behold +this has Brynhild brought to pass, even she who loves me before all +men; but this may I swear, that never have I wrought ill to Gunnar, but +rather have ever held fast to my oath with him, nor was I ever too much +a friend to his wife. And now if I had been forewarned, and had been +afoot with my weapons, then should many a man have lost his life or +ever I had fallen, and all those brethren should have been slain, and +a harder work would the slaying of me have been than the slaying of the +mightiest bull or the mightiest boar of the wild-wood." + +And even therewithal life left the King; but Gudrun moaned and drew +a weary breath, and Brynhild heard it, and laughed when she heard her +moaning. + +Then said Gunnar, "Thou laughest not because thy heart-roots are +gladdened, or else why doth thy visage wax so wan? Sure an evil creature +thou art; most like thou art nigh to thy death! Lo now, how meet would +it be for thee to behold thy brother Atli slain before thine eyes, and +that thou shouldst stand over him dead; whereas we must needs now +stand over our brother-in-law in such a case, our brother-in-law and our +brother's bane." + +She answered, "None need mock at the measure of slaughter being +unfulfilled; yet heedeth not Atli your wrath or your threats; yea, he +shall live longer than ye, and be a mightier man." + +Hogni spake and said, "Now hath come to pass the soothsaying of +Brynhild; an ill work not to be atoned for." + +And Gudrun said, "My kinsmen have slain my husband; but ye, when ye next +ride to the war and are come into the battle, then shall ye look about +and see that Sigurd is neither on the right hand nor the left, and ye +shall know that he was your good-hap and your strength; and if he +had lived and had sons, then should ye have been strengthened by his +offspring and his kin." + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd dead, as it is +told told in ancient Songs. (1) + + Gudrun of old days + Drew near to dying + As she sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Yet she sighed not + Nor smote hand on hand, + Nor wailed she aught + As other women. + + Then went earls to her. + Full of all wisdom, + Fain help to deal + To her dreadful heart: + Hushed was Gudrun + Of wail, or greeting, + But with a heavy woe + Was her heart a-breaking. + + Bright and fair + Sat the great earls' brides, + Gold arrayed + Before Gudrun; + Each told the tale + Of her great trouble, + The bitterest bale + She erst abode. + + Then spake Giaflaug, + Giuki's sister: + "Lo upon earth + I live most loveless + Who of five mates + Must see the ending, + Of daughters twain + And three sisters, + Of brethren eight, + And abide behind lonely." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail and greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Herborg + Queen of Hunland-- + "Crueller tale + Have I to tell of, + Of my seven sons + Down in the Southlands, + And the eighth man, my mate, + Felled in the death-mead. + + "Father and mother, + And four brothers, + On the wide sea + The winds and death played with; + The billows beat + On the bulwark boards. + + "Alone must I sing o'er them, + Alone must I array them, + Alone must my hands deal with + Their departing; + And all this was + In one season's wearing, + And none was left + For love or solace. + + "Then was I bound + A prey of the battle, + When that same season + Wore to its ending; + As a tiring may + Must I bind the shoon + Of the duke's high dame, + Every day at dawning. + + "From her jealous hate + Gat I heavy mocking, + Cruel lashes + She laid upon me, + Never met I + Better master + Or mistress worser + In all the wide world." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail or greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "O foster-mother, + Wise as thou mayst be, + Naught canst thou better + The young wife's bale." + And she bade uncover + The dead King's corpse. + + She swept the sheet + Away from Sigurd, + And turned his cheek + Towards his wife's knees-- + "Look on thy loved one + Lay lips to his lips, + E'en as thou wert clinging + To thy king alive yet!" + + Once looked Gudrun-- + One look only, + And saw her lord's locks + Lying all bloody, + The great man's eyes + Glazed and deadly, + And his heart's bulwark + Broken by sword-edge. + + Back then sank Gudrun, + Back on the bolster, + Loosed was her head array, + Red did her cheeks grow, + And the rain-drops ran + Down over her knees. + + Then wept Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + So that the tears flowed + Through the pillow; + As the geese withal + That were in the homefield, + The fair fowls the may owned, + Fell a-screaming. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Surely knew I + No love like your love + Among all men, + On the mould abiding; + Naught wouldst thou joy in + Without or within doors, + O my sister, + Save beside Sigurd." + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Such was my Sigurd + Among the sons of Giuki, + As is the king leek + O'er the low grass waxing, + Or a bright stone + Strung on band, + Or a pearl of price + On a prince's brow. + + "Once was I counted + By the king's warriors + Higher than any + Of Herjan's mays; + Now am I as little + As the leaf may be, + Amid wind-swept wood + Now when dead he lieth. + + I miss from my seat, + I miss from my bed, + My darling of sweet speech. + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + This sore sorrow, + Yea, for their sister, + Most sore sorrow. + + "So may your lands + Lie waste on all sides, + As ye have broken + Your bounden oaths! + Ne'er shalt thou, Gunnar, + The gold have joy of; + The dear-bought rings + Shall drag thee to death, + Whereon thou swarest + Oath unto Sigurd. + + Ah, in the days by-gone + Great mirth in the homefield + When my Sigurd + Set saddle on Grani, + And they went their ways + For the wooing of Brynhild! + An ill day, an ill woman, + And most ill hap!" + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter-- + "May the woman lack + Both love and children, + Who gained greeting + For thee, O Gudrun! + Who gave thee this morning + Many words!" + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Hold peace of such words + Thou hated of all folk! + The bane of brave men + Hast thou been ever, + All waves of ill + Wash over thy mind, + To seven great kings + Hast thou been a sore sorrow, + And the death of good will + To wives and women." + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter-- + "None but Atli + Brought bale upon us, + My very brother + Born of Budli. + + When we saw in the hall + Of the Hunnish people + The gold a-gleaming + On the kingly Giukings; + I have paid for that faring + Oft and full, + And for the sight + That then I saw." + + By a pillar she stood + And strained its wood to her; + From the eyes of Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Flashed out fire, + And she snorted forth venom, + As the sore wounds she gazed on + Of the dead-slain Sigurd. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is the Eddaic poem, called the first Lay of + Gudrun, inserted here by the translators. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. Of the Ending of Brynhild. + +And now none might know for what cause Brynhild must bewail with weeping +for what she had prayed for with laughter: but she spake-- + +"Such a dream I had, Gunnar, as that my bed was acold, and that thou +didst ride into the hands of thy foes: lo now, ill shall it go with thee +and all thy kin, O ye breakers of oaths; for on the day thou slayedst +him, dimly didst thou remember how thou didst blend thy blood with the +blood of Sigurd, and with an ill reward hast thou rewarded him for all +that he did well to thee; whereas he gave unto thee to be the mightiest +of men; and well was it proven how fast he held to his oath sworn, when +he came to me and laid betwixt us the sharp-edged sword that in venom +had been made hard. All too soon did ye fall to working wrong against +him and against me, whenas I abode at home with my father, and had all +that I would, and had no will that any one of you should be any of mine, +as ye rode into our garth, ye three kings together; but then Atli led me +apart privily, and asked me if I would not have him who rode Grani; yea, +a man nowise like unto you; but in those days I plighted myself to the +son of King Sigmund and no other; and lo, now, no better shall ye fare +for the death of me." + +Then rose up Gunnar, and laid his arms about her neck, and besought her +to live and have wealth from him; and all others in likewise letted her +from dying; but she thrust them all from her, and said that it was not +the part of any to let her in that which was her will. + +Then Gunnar called to Hogni, and prayed him for counsel, and bade him go +to her, and see if he might perchance soften her dreadful heart, saying +withal, that now they had need enough on their hands in the slaking of +her grief, till time might get over. + +But Hogni answered, "Nay, let no man hinder her from dying; for no gain +will she be to us, nor has she been gainsome since she came hither! + +Now she bade bring forth much gold, and bade all those come thither who +would have wealth: then she caught up a sword, and thrust it under her +armpit, and sank aside upon the pillows, and said, "Come, take gold +whoso will!" + +But all held their peace, and she said, "Take the gold, and be glad +thereof!" + +And therewith she spake unto Gunnar, "Now for a little while will I tell +of that which shall come to pass hereafter; for speedily shall ye be +at one again with Gudrun by the rede of Grimhild the Wise-wife; and the +daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd shall be called Swanhild, the fairest of +all women born. Gudrun shall be given to Atli, yet not with her good +will. Thou shalt be fain to get Oddrun, but that shall Atli forbid thee; +but privily shall ye meet, and much shall she love thee. Atli shall +bewray thee, and cast thee into a worm-close, and thereafter shall Atli +and his sons be slain, and Gudrun shall be their slayer; and afterwards +shall the great waves bear her to the burg of King Jonakr, to whom she +shall bear sons of great fame: Swanhild shall be sent from the land +and given to King Jormunrek; and her shall bite the rede of Bikki, and +therewithal is the kin of you clean gone; and more sorrows therewith for +Gudrun. + +"And now I pray thee, Gunnar, one last boon.--Let make a great bale on +the plain meads for all of us; for me, and for Sigurd, and for those who +were slain with him, and let that be covered over with cloth dyed red by +the folk of the Gauls, (1) and burn me thereon on one side of the King +of the Huns, and on the other those men of mine, two at the head and two +at the feet, and two hawks withal; and even so is all shared equally; +and lay there betwixt us a drawn sword, as in the other days when we +twain stepped into one bed together; and then may we have the name of +man and wife, nor shall the door swing to at the heel of him as I go +behind him. Nor shall that be a niggard company if there follow him +those five bond-women and eight bondmen, whom my father gave me, and +those burn there withal who were slain with Sigurd. + +"Now more yet would I say, but for my wounds, but my life-breath flits; +the wounds open,--yet have I said sooth." + +Now is the dead corpse of Sigurd arrayed in olden wise, and a mighty +bale is raised, and when it was somewhat kindled, there was laid thereon +the dead corpse of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and his son of three winters +whom Brynhild had let slay, and Guttorm withal; and when the bale was +all ablaze, thereunto was Brynhild borne out, when she had spoken with +her bower-maidens, and bid them take the gold that she would give; and +then died Brynhild, and was burned there by the side of Sigurd, and thus +their life-days ended. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "raudu manna blodi", red-dyed in the blood + of men; the Sagaman's original error in dealing with the + word "Valaript" in the corresponding passage of the short + lay of Sigurd.--Tr. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. Gudrun wedded to Atli. + +Now so it is, that whoso heareth these tidings sayeth, that no such an +one as was Sigurd was left behind him in the world, nor ever was such a +man brought forth because of all the worth of him, nor may his name ever +minish by eld in the Dutch Tongue nor in all the Northern Lands, while +the world standeth fast. + +The story tells that, on a day, as Gudrun sat in her bower, she fell to +saying, "Better was life in those days when I had Sigurd; he who was far +above other men as gold is above iron, or the leek over other grass +of the field, or the hart over other wild things; until my brethren +begrudged me such a man, the first and best of all men; and so they +might not sleep or they had slain him. Huge clamour made Grani when he +saw his master and lord sore wounded, and then I spoke to him even as +with a man, but he fell drooping down to the earth, for he knew that +Sigurd was slain." + +Thereafter Gudrun gat her gone into the wild woods, and heard on all +ways round about her the howling of wolves, and deemed death a merrier +thing than life. Then she went till she came to the hall of King Alf, +and sat there in Denmark with Thora, the daughter of Hakon, for seven +seasons, and abode with good welcome. And she set forth her needlework +before her, and did thereinto many deeds and great, and fair plays after +the fashion of those days, swords and byrnies, and all the gear of +kings, and the ship of King Sigmund sailing along the land; yea, and +they wrought there, how they fought, Sigar and Siggeir, south in Fion. +Such was their disport; and now Gudrun was somewhat solaced of her +grief. + +So Grimhild comes to hear where Gudrun has take up her abode, and +she calls her sons to talk with her, and asks whether they will make +atonement to Gudrun for her son and her husband, and said that it was +but meet and right to do so. + +Then Gunnar spake, and said that he would atone for her sorrows with +gold. + +So they send for their friends, and array their horses, their helms, +and their shields, and their byrnies, and all their war-gear; and their +journey was furnished forth in the noblest wise, and no champion who +was of the great men might abide at home; and their horses were clad in +mail-coats, and every knight of them had his helm done over with gold or +with silver. + +Grimhild was of their company, for she said that their errand would +never be brought fairly to pass if she sat at home. + +There were well five hundred men, and noble men rode with them. There +was Waldemar of Denmark, and Eymod and Jarisleif withal. So they went +into the hall of King Alf, and there abode them the Longbeards and +Franks, and Saxons: they fared with all their war-gear, and had over +them red fur-coats. Even as the song says-- + + "Byrnies short cut, + Strong helms hammered, + Girt with good swords, + Red hair gleaming." + +They were fain to choose good gifts for their sister, and spake softly +to her, but in none of them would she trow. Then Gunnar brought unto her +a drink mingled with hurtful things, and this she must needs drink, and +with the drinking thereof she had no more memory of their guilt against +her. + +But in that drink was blended the might of the earth and the sea with +the blood of her son; and in that horn were all letters cut and reddened +with blood, as is said hereunder-- + + "On the horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that beer were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood + And brown-burnt acorns, + The black dew of the hearth, + The God-doomed dead beast's inwards, + And the swine's liver sodden + Because all wrongs that deadens. + +And so now, when their hearts are brought anigh to each other, great +cheer they made: then came Grimhild to Gudrun, and spake: + +"All hail to thee, daughter! I give thee gold and all kinds of good +things to take to thee after thy father, dear-bought rings and bed-gear +of the maids of the Huns, the most courteous and well dight of all +women; and thus is thy husband atoned for: and thereafter shalt thou be +given to Atli, the mighty king, and be mistress of all his might. Cast +not all thy friends aside for one man's sake, but do according to our +bidding." + +Gudrun answers, "Never will I wed Atli the King: unseemly it is for us +to get offspring betwixt us." + +Grimhild says, "Nourish not thy wrath; it shall be to thee as if Sigurd +and Sigmund were alive when thou hast borne sons." + +Gudrun says, "I cannot take my heart from thoughts of him, for he was +the first of all men." + +Grimhild says, "So it is shapen that thou must have this king and none +else." + +Says Gudrun, "Give not this man to me, for an evil thing shall come +upon thy kin from him, and to his own sons shall he deal evil, and be +rewarded with a grim revenge thereafter." + +Then waxed Grimhild fell at those words, and spake, "Do even as we +bid thee, and take therefore great honour, and our friendship, and the +steads withal called Vinbjorg and Valbjorg." + +And such might was in the words of her, that even so must it come to +pass. + +Then Gudrun spake, "Thus then must it needs befall, howsoever against +the will of me, and for little joy shall it be and for great grief." + +Then men leaped on their horses, and their women were set in wains. So +they fared four days a-riding and other four a-shipboard, and yet four +more again by land and road, till at the last they came to a certain +high-built hall; then came to meet Gudrun many folk thronging; and +an exceedingly goodly feast was there made, even as the word had gone +between either kin, and it passed forth in most proud and stately wise. +And at that feast drinks Atli his bridal with Gudrun; but never did her +heart laugh on him, and little sweet and kind was their life together. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. Atli bids the Giukings to him. + +Now tells the tale that on a night King Atli woke from sleep and spake +to Gudrun-- + +"Medreamed," said he, "that thou didst thrust me through with a sword." + +Then Gudrun areded the dream, and said that it betokened fire, whenas +folk dreamed of iron. "It befalls of thy pride belike, in that thou +deemest thyself the first of men." + +Atli said, "Moreover I dreamed that here waxed two sorb-tree (1) +saplings, and fain I was that they should have no scathe of me; then +these were riven up by the roots and reddened with blood, and borne to +the bench, and I was bidden eat thereof. + +"Yea, yet again I dreamed that two hawks flew from my hand hungry and +unfed, and fared to hell, and meseemed their hearts were mingled with +honey, and that I ate thereof. + +"And then again I dreamed that two fair whelps lay before me yelling +aloud, and that the flesh of them I ate, though my will went not with +the eating." + +Gudrun says, "Nowise good are these dreams, yet shall they come to pass; +surely thy sons are nigh to death, and many heavy things shall fall upon +us." + +"Yet again I dreamed," said he, "and methought I lay in a bath, and folk +took counsel to slay me." + +Now these things wear away with time, but in nowise was their life +together fond. + +Now falls Atli to thinking of where may be gotten that plenteous gold +which Sigurd had owned, but King Gunnar and his brethren were lords +thereof now. + +Atli was a great king and mighty, wise, and a lord of many men; and now +he falls to counsel with his folk as to the ways of them. He wotted well +that Gunnar and his brethren had more wealth than any others might have, +and so he falls to the rede of sending men to them, and bidding them +to a great feast, and honouring them in diverse wise, and the chief of +those messengers was hight Vingi. + +Now the queen wots of their conspiring, and misdoubts her that this +would mean some beguiling of her brethren: so she cut runes, and took a +gold ring, and knit therein a wolf's hair, and gave it into the hands of +the king's messengers. + +Thereafter they go their ways according to the king's bidding; and or +ever they came aland Vingi beheld the runes, and turned them about in +such wise as if Gudrun prayed her brethren in her runes to go meet King +Atli. + +Thereafter they came to the hall of King Gunnar, and had good welcome at +his hands, and great fires were made for them, and in great joyance they +drank of the best of drink. + +Then spake Vingi, "King Atli sends me hither, and is fain that ye go +to his house and home in all glory, and take of him exceeding honours, +helms and shields, swords and byrnies, gold and goodly raiment, horses, +hosts of war, and great and wide lands, for, saith he, he is fainest of +all things to bestow his realm and lordship upon you." + +Then Gunnar turned his head aside, and spoke to Hogni-- + +"In what wise shall we take this bidding? might and wealth he bids us +take; but no kings know I who have so much gold as we have, whereas +we have all the hoard which lay once on Gnitaheath; and great are our +chambers, and full of gold, and weapons for smiting, and all kinds of +raiment of war, and well I wot that amidst all men my horse is the best, +and my sword the sharpest, and my gold the most glorious." + +Hogni answers, "A marvel is it to me of his bidding, for seldom hath he +done in such a wise, and ill-counselled will it be to wend to him; lo +now, when I saw those dear-bought things the king sends us I wondered to +behold a wolf's hair knit to a certain gold ring; belike Gudrun deems him +to be minded as a wolf towards us, and will have naught of our faring." + +But withal Vingi shows him the runes which he said Gudrun had sent. + +Now the most of folk go to bed, but these drank on still with certain +others; and Kostbera, the wife of Hogni, the fairest of women, came to +them, and looked on the runes. + +But the wife of Gunnar was Glaumvor, a great-hearted wife. + +So these twain poured out, and the kings drank, and were exceeding +drunken, and Vingi notes it, and says-- + +"Naught may I hide that King Atli is heavy of foot and over-old for the +warding of his realm; but his sons are young and of no account: now will +he give you rule over his realms while they are yet thus young, and most +fain will he be that ye have the joy thereof before all others." + +Now so it befell both that Gunnar was drunk, and that great dominion was +held out to him, nor might he work against the fate shapen for him; so +he gave his word to go, and tells Hogni his brother thereof. + +But he answered, "Thy word given must even stand now, nor will I fail to +follow thee, but most loth am I to this journey." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Service-tree; "pyrus sorbus domestica", or "p. s. + tormentalis. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings. + +So when men had drunk their fill, they fared to sleep; then falls +Kostbera to beholding the runes, and spelling over the letters, and sees +that beneath were other things cut, and that the runes are guileful; +yet because of her wisdom she had skill to read them aright. So then she +goes to bed by her husband; but when they awoke, she spake unto Hogni-- + +"Thou art minded to wend away from home--ill-counselled is that; abide +till another time! Scarce a keen reader of runes art thou, if thou +deemest thou hast beheld in them the bidding of thy sister to this +journey: lo, I read the runes, and had marvel of so wise a woman +as Gudrun is, that she should have miscut them; but that which lieth +underneath beareth your bane with it,--yea, either she lacked a letter, +or others have dealt guilefully with the runes. + +"And now hearken to my dream; for therein methought there fell in upon +us here a river exceeding strong, and brake up the timbers of the hall." + +He answered, "Full oft are ye evil of mind, ye women, but for me, I +was not made in such wise as to meet men with evil who deserve no evil; +belike he will give us good welcome." + +She answered, "Well, the thing must ye yourselves prove, but no +friendship follows this bidding:--but yet again I dreamed that another +river fell in here with a great and grimly rush, and tore up the dais +of the hall, and brake the legs of both you brethren; surely that +betokeneth somewhat." + +He answers, "Meadows along our way, whereas thou didst dream of the +river; for when we go through the meadows, plentifully doth the seeds of +the hay hang about our legs." + +"Again I dreamed," she says, "that thy cloak was afire, and that the +flame blazed up above the hall." + +Says he, "Well, I wot what that shall betoken; here lieth my fair-dyed +raiment, and it shall burn and blaze, whereas thou dreamedst of the +cloak." + +"Methought a bear came in," she says, "and brake up the king's +high-seat, and shook his paws in such a wise that we were all adrad +thereat, and he gat us all together into the mouth of him, so that we +might avail us naught, and thereof fell great horror on us." + +He answered, "Some great storm will befall, whereas thou hadst a white +bear in thy mind." + +"An erne methought came in," she says, "and swept adown the hall, and +drenched me and all of us with blood, and ill shall that betoken, for +methought it was the double of King Atli." + +He answered, "Full oft do we slaughter beasts freely, and smite down +great neat for our cheer, and the dream of the erne has but to do with +oxen; yea, Atli is heart-whole toward us." + +And therewithal they cease this talk. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. Of the Journey of the Giukings to King Atli. + +Now tells the tale of Gunnar, that in the same wise it fared with him; +for when they awoke, Glaumvor his wife told him many dreams which seemed +to her like to betoken guile coming; but Gunnar areded them all in other +wise. + +"This was one of them," said she; "methought a bloody sword was borne +into the hall here, wherewith thou wert thrust through, and at either +end of that sword wolves howled." + +The king answered, "Cur dogs shall bite me belike; blood-stained weapons +oft betoken dogs' snappings." + +She said, "Yet again I dreamed--that women came in, heavy and drooping, +and chose thee for their mate; may-happen these would be thy fateful +women." + +He answered, "Hard to arede is this, and none may set aside the fated +measure of his days, nor is it unlike that my time is short." (1) + +So in the morning they arose, and were minded for the journey, but some +letted them herein. + +Then cried Gunnar to the man who is called Fjornir-- + +"Arise, and give us to drink goodly wine from great tuns, because +mayhappen this shall be very last of all our feasts; for belike if we +die the old wolf shall come by the gold, and that bear shall nowise +spare the bite of his war-tusks." + +Then all the folk of his household brought them on their way weeping. + +The son of Hogni said-- + +"Fare ye well with merry tide." + +The more part of their folk were left behind; Solar and Snaevar, the +sons of Hogni, fared with them, and a certain great champion, named +Orkning, who was the brother of Kostbera. + +So folk followed them down to the ships, and all letted them of their +journey, but attained to naught therein. + +Then spake Glaumvor, and said-- + +"O Vingi, most like that great ill hap will come of thy coming, and +mighty and evil things shall betide in thy travelling." + +He answered, "Hearken to my answer; that I lie not aught: and may the +high gallows and all things of grame have me, if I lie one word!" + +Then cried Kostbera, "Fare ye well with merry days." + +And Hogni answered, "Be glad of heart, howsoever it may fare with us!" + +And therewith they parted, each to their own fate. Then away they rowed, +so hard and fast, that well-nigh the half of the keel slipped away from +the ship, and so hard they laid on to the oars that thole and gunwale +brake. + +But when they came aland they made their ship fast, and then they rode +awhile on their noble steeds through the murk wild-wood. + +And now they behold the king's army, and huge uproar, and the clatter of +weapons they hear from thence; and they see there a mighty host of men, +and the manifold array of them, even as they wrought there: and all the +gates of the burg were full of men. + +So they rode up to the burg, and the gates thereof were shut; then Hogni +brake open the gates, and therewith they ride into the burg. + +Then spake Vingi, "Well might ye have left this deed undone; go to now, +bide ye here while I go seek your gallows-tree! Softly and sweetly I +bade you hither, but an evil thing abode thereunder; short while to bide +ere ye are tied up to that same tree!" + +Hogni answered, "None the more shall we waver for that cause; for little +methinks have we shrunk aback whenas men fell to fight; and naught +shall it avail thee to make us afeard,--and for an ill fate hast thou +wrought." + +And therewith they cast him down to earth, and smote him with their +axe-hammers till he died. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Parallel beliefs to those in the preceding chapters, and + elsewhere in this book, as to spells, dreams, drinks, etc., + among the English people may be found in "Leechdoms, + Wortcunning, and Starcraft of the Anglo-Saxons; being a + collection of Documents illustrating the History of Science + in this Country before the Norman Conquest". Ed: Rev. T. O. + Cockayne, M.A. (3 vols.) Longmans, London, 1864, 8vo. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. The Battle in the Burg of King Atli. + +Then they rode unto the king's hall, and King Atli arrayed his host for +battle, and the ranks were so set forth that a certain wall there was +betwixt them and the brethren. + +"Welcome hither," said he. "Deliver unto me that plenteous gold which is +mine of right; even the wealth which Sigurd once owned, and which is now +Gudrun's of right." + +Gunnar answered, "Never gettest thou that wealth; and men of might must +thou meet here, or ever we lay by life if thou wilt deal with us in +battle; ah, belike thou settest forth this feast like a great man, and +wouldst not hold thine hand from erne and wolf!" + +"Long ago I had it in my mind," said Atli, "to take the lives of you, and +be lord of the gold, and reward you for that deed of shame, wherein ye +beguiled the best of all your affinity; but now shall I revenge him." + +Hogni answered, "Little will it avail to lie long brooding over that +rede, leaving the work undone." + +And therewith they fell to hard fighting, at the first brunt with shot. + +But therewithal came the tidings to Gudrun, and when she heard thereof +she grew exceeding wroth, and cast her mantle from her, and ran out and +greeted those new-comers, and kissed her brethren, and showed them all +love,--and the last of all greetings was that betwixt them. + +Then said she, "I thought I had set forth counsels whereby ye should not +come hither, but none may deal with his shapen fate." And withal she +said, "Will it avail aught to seek for peace?" + +But stoutly and grimly they said nay thereto. So she sees that the +game goeth sorely against her brethren, and she gathers to her great +stoutness of heart, and does on her a mail-coat and takes to her a +sword, and fights by her brethren, and goes as far forward as the +bravest of man-folk: and all spoke in one wise that never saw any fairer +defence than in her. + +Now the men fell thick, and far before all others was the fighting of +those brethren, and the battle endured a long while unto midday; Gunnar +and Hogni went right through the folk of Atli, and so tells the tale +that all the mead ran red with blood; the sons of Hogni withal set on +stoutly. + +Then spake Atli the king, "A fair host and a great have we, and mighty +champions withal, and yet have many of us fallen, and but evil am I +apaid in that nineteen of my champions are slain, and but left six +alive." + +And therewithal was there a lull in the battle. + +Then spake Atli the king, "Four brethren were we, and now am I left +alone; great affinity I gat to me, and deemed my fortune well sped +thereby; a wife I had, fair and wise, high of mind, and great of heart; +but no joyance may I have of her wisdom, for little peace is betwixt +us,--but ye--ye have slain many of my kin, and beguiled me of realm and +riches, and for the greatest of all woes have slain my sister withal." + +Quoth Hogni, "Why babblest thou thus? thou wert the first to break the +peace. Thou didst take my kinswoman and pine her to death by hunger, and +didst murder her, and take her wealth; an ugly deed for a king!--meet +for mocking and laughter I deem it, that thou must needs make long tale +of thy woes; rather will I give thanks to the Gods that thou fallest +into ill." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. Of the slaying of the Giukings. + +Now King Atli eggs on his folk to set on fiercely, and eagerly they +fight; but the Giukings fell on so hard that King Atli gave back into +the hall, and within doors was the fight, and fierce beyond all fights. + +That battle was the death of many a man, but such was the ending +thereof, that there fell all the folk of those brethren, and they twain +alone stood up on their feet, and yet many more must fare to hell first +before their weapons. + +And now they fell on Gunnar the king, and because of the host of men +that set on him was hand laid on him, and he was cast into fetters; +afterwards fought Hogni, with the stoutest heart and the greatest +manlihood; and he felled to earth twenty of the stoutest of the +champions of King Atli, and many he thrust into the fire that burnt +amidst the hall, and all were of one accord that such a man might scarce +be seen; yet in the end was he borne down by many and taken. + +Then said King Atli, "A marvellous thing how many men have gone their +ways before him! Cut the heart from out of him, and let that be his +bane!" + +Hogni said, "Do according to thy will; merrily will I abide whatso thou +wrlt do against me; and thou shalt see that my heart is not adrad, for +hard matters have I made trial of ere now, and all things that may try +a man was I fain to bear, whiles yet I was unhurt; but now sorely am +I hurt, and thou alone henceforth will bear mastery in our dealings +together." + +Then spake a counsellor of King Atli, "Better rede I see thereto; take +we the thrall Hjalli, and give respite to Hogni; for this thrall is made +to die, since the longer he lives the less worth shall he be." + +The thrall hearkened, and cried out aloft, and fled away anywhither +where he might hope for shelter, crying out that a hard portion was his +because of their strife and wild doings, and an ill day for him whereon +he must be dragged to death from his sweet life and his swine-keeping. +But they caught him, and turned a knife against him, and he yelled and +screamed or ever he felt the point thereof. + +Then in such wise spake Hogni as a man seldom speaketh who is fallen +into hard need, for he prayed for the thrall's life, and said that these +shrieks he could not away with, and that it were a lesser matter to him +to play out the play to the end; and therewithal the thrall gat his life +as for that time: but Gunnar and Hogni are both laid in fetters. + +Then spake King Atli with Gunnar the king, and bade him tell out +concerning the gold, and where it was, if he would have his life. + +But he answered, "Nay, first will I behold the bloody heart of Hogni, my +brother." + +So now they caught hold of the thrall again, and cut the heart from out +of him, and bore it unto King Gunnar, but he said-- + +"The faint heart of Hjalli may ye here behold, little like the proud +heart of Hogni, for as much as it trembleth now, more by the half it +trembled whenas it lay in the breast of him." + +So now they fell on Hogni even as Atli urged them, and cut the heart +from out of him, but such was the might of his manhood, that he laughed +while he abode that torment, and all wondered at his worth, and in +perpetual memory is it held sithence. (1) + +Then they showed it to Gunnar, and he said-- + +"The mighty heart of Hogni, little like the faint heart of Hjalli, for +little as it trembleth now, less it trembled whenas in his breast it +lay! But now, O Atli, even as we die so shalt thou die; and lo, I alone +wot where the gold is, nor shall Hogni be to tell thereof now; to and +fro played the matter in my mind whiles we both lived, but now have I +myself determined for myself, and the Rhine river shall rule over the +gold, rather than that the Huns shall bear it on the hands of them." + +Then said King Atli, "Have away the bondsman;" and so they did. + +But Gudrun called to her men, and came to Atli, and said-- + +"May it fare ill with thee now and from henceforth, even as thou hast +ill held to thy word with me!" + +So Gunnar was cast into a worm-close, and many worms abode him there, +and his hands were fast bound; but Gudrun sent him a harp, and in such +wise did he set forth his craft, that wisely he smote the harp, smiting +it with his toes, and so excellently well he played, that few deemed +they had heard such playing, even when the hand had done it. And with +such might and power he played, that all worms fell asleep in the end, +save one adder only, great and evil of aspect, that crept unto him and +thrust its sting into him until it smote his heart; and in such wise +with great hardihood he ended his life days. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Since ("sidh", after, and "dham", that.). + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk. + +Now thought Atli the King that he had gained a mighty victory, and spake +to Gudrun even as mocking her greatly, or as making himself great before +her. "Gudrun," saith he, "thus hast thou lost thy brethren, and thy very +self hast brought it about." + +She answers, "In good liking livest thou, whereas thou thrustest these +slayings before me, but mayhappen thou wilt rue it, when thou hast tried +what is to come hereafter; and of all I have, the longest-lived matter +shall be the memory of thy cruel heart, nor shall it go well with thee +whiles I live." + +He answered and said, "Let there be peace betwixt us; I will atone for +thy brethren with gold and dear-bought things, even as thy heart may +wish." + +She answers, "Hard for a long while have I been in our dealings +together, and now I say, that while Hogni was yet alive thou mightest +have brought it to pass; but now mayest thou never atone for my brethren +in my heart; yet oft must we women be overborne by the might of you men; +and now are all my kindred dead and gone, and thou alone art left to +rule over me: wherefore now this is my counsel that we make a great +feast, wherein I will hold the funeral of my brother and of thy kindred +withal." + +In such wise did she make herself soft and kind in words, though far +other things forsooth lay thereunder, but he hearkened to her gladly, +and trusted in her words, whereas she made herself sweet of speech. + +So Gudrun held the funeral feast for her brethren, and King Atli for his +men, and exceeding proud and great was this feast. + +But Gudrun forgat not her woe, but brooded over it, how she might work +some mighty shame against the king; and at nightfall she took to her the +sons of King Atli and her as they played about the floor; the younglings +waxed heavy of cheer, and asked what she would with them. + +"Ask me not," she said; "ye shall die, the twain of you!" + +Then they answered, "Thou mayest do with thy children even as thou wilt, +nor shall any hinder thee, but shame there is to thee in the doing of +this deed." + +Yet for all that she cut the throats of them. + +Then the king asked where his sons were, and Gudrun answered, "I will +tell thee, and gladden thine heart by the telling; lo now, thou didst +make a great woe spring up for me in the slaying of my brethren; now +hearken and hear my rede and my deed; thou hast lost thy sons, and +their heads are become beakers on the board here, and thou thyself hast +drunken the blood of them blended with wine; and their hearts I took and +roasted them on a spit, and thou hast eaten thereof." + +King Atli answered, "Grim art thou in that thou hast murdered thy sons, +and given me their flesh to eat, and little space passes betwixt ill +deed of thine and ill deed." + +Gudrun said, "My heart is set on the doing to thee of as great shame as +may be; never shall the measure of ill be full to such a king as thou +art." + +The king said, "Worser deeds hast thou done than men have to tell of, +and great unwisdom is there in such fearful redes; most meet art thou +to be burned on bale when thou hast first been smitten to death with +stones, for in such wise wouldst thou have what thou hast gone a weary +way to seek." + +She answered, "Thine own death thou foretellest, but another death is +fated for me." + +And many other words they spake in their wrath. + +Now Hogni had a son left alive, hight Niblung, and great wrath of heart +he bare against King Atli; and he did Gudrun to wit that he would +avenge his father. And she took his words well, and they fell to counsel +together thereover, and she said it would be great goodhap if it might +be brought about. + +So on a night, when the king had drunken, he gat him to bed, and when he +was laid asleep, thither to him came Gudrun and the son of Hogni. + +Gudrun took a sword and thrust it through the breast of King Atli, and +they both of them set their hands to the deed, both she and the son of +Hogni. + +Then Atli the king awoke with the wound, and cried out; "no need of +binding or salving here!--who art thou who hast done the deed?" + +Gudrun says, "Somewhat have I, Gudrun, wrought therein, and somewhat +withal the son of Hogni." + +Atli said, "Ill it beseemed to thee to do this, though somewhat of wrong +was between us; for thou wert wedded to me by the rede of thy kin, and +dower paid I for thee; yea, thirty goodly knights, and seemly maidens, +and many men besides; and yet wert thou not content, but if thou should +rule over the lands King Budli owned: and thy mother-in-law full oft +thou lettest sit a-weeping." + +Gudrun said, "Many false words hast thou spoken, and of naught I account +them; oft, indeed, was I fell of mood, but much didst thou add thereto. +Full oft in this thy house did frays befall, and kin fought kin, and +friend fought friend, and made themselves big one against the other; +better days had I whenas I abode with Sigurd, when we slew kings, and +took their wealth to us, but gave peace to whomso would, and the great +men laid themselves under our hands, and might we gave to him of them +who would have it; then I lost him, and a little thing was it that I +should bear a widow's name, but the greatest of griefs that I should +come to thee--I who had aforetime the noblest of all kings, while for +thee, thou never barest out of the battle aught but the worser lot." + +King Atli answered, "Naught true are thy words, nor will this our speech +better the lot of either of us, for all is fallen now to naught; but now +do to me in seemly wise, and array my dead corpse in noble fashion." + +"Yea, that will I," she says, "and let make for thee a goodly grave, and +build for thee a worthy abiding place of stone, and wrap thee in fair +linen, and care for all that needful is." + +So therewithal he died, and she did according to her word: and then they +cast fire into the hall. + +And when the folk and men of estate awoke amid that dread and trouble, +naught would they abide the fire, but smote each the other down, and +died in such wise; so there Atli the king, and all his folk, ended their +life-days. But Gudrun had no will to live longer after this deed so +wrought, but nevertheless her ending day was not yet come upon her. + +Now the Volsungs and the Giukings, as folk tell in tale, have been the +greatest-hearted and the mightiest of all men, as ye may well behold +written in the songs of old time. + +But now with the tidings just told were these troubles stayed. + + + +CHAPTER XL. How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore +again. + +Gudrun had a daughter by Sigurd hight Swanhild; she was the fairest of +all women, eager-eyed as her father, so that few durst look under the +brows of her; and as far did she excel other woman-kind as the sun +excels the other lights of heaven. + +But on a day went Gudrun down to the sea, and caught up stones in her +arms, and went out into the sea, for she had will to end her life. But +mighty billows drave her forth along the sea, and by means of their +upholding was she borne along till she came at the last to the burg of +King Jonakr, a mighty king, and lord of many folk. And he took Gudrun to +wife, and their children were Hamdir, and Sorli, and Erp; and there was +Swanhild nourished withal. + + + +CHAPTER XLI. Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild. + +Jormunrek was the name of a mighty king of those days, and his son was +called Randver. Now this king called his son to talk with him, and said, +"Thou shalt fare on an errand of mine to King Jonakr, with my counsellor +Bikki, for with King Jonakr is nourished Swanhild, the daughter of +Sigurd Fafnir's-bane; and I know for sure that she is the fairest may +dwelling under the sun of this world; her above all others would I have +to my wife, and thou shalt go woo her for me." + +Randver answered, "Meet and right, fair lord, that I should go on thine +errands." + +So the king set forth this journey in seemly wise, and they fare till +they come to King Jonakr's abode, and behold Swanhild, and have many +thoughts concerning the treasure of her goodliness. + +But on a day Randver called the king to talk with him, and said, +"Jormunrek the King would fain be thy brother-in-law, for he has heard +tell of Swanhild, and his desire it is to have her to wife, nor may it +be shown that she may be given to any mightier man than he is one." + +The King says, "This is an alliance of great honour, for a man of fame +he is." + +Gudrun says, "A wavering trust, the trust in luck that it change not!" + +Yet because of the king's furthering, and all the matters that went +herewith, is the wooing accomplished; and Swanhild went to the ship with +a goodly company, and sat in the stern beside the king's son. + +Then spake Bikki to Randver, "How good and right it were if thou thyself +had to wife so lovely a woman rather than the old man there." + +Good seemed that word to the heart of the king's son, and he spake to +her with sweet words, and she to him in like wise. + +So they came aland and go unto the king, and Bikki said unto him, "Meet +and right it is, lord, that thou shouldst know what is befallen, though +hard it be to tell of, for the tale must be concerning thy beguiling, +whereas thy son has gotten to him the full love of Swanhild, nor is she +other than his harlot; but thou, let not the deed be unavenged." + +Now many an ill rede had he given the king or this, but of all his ill +redes did this sting home the most; and still would the king hearken +to all his evil redes; wherefore he, who might nowise still the wrath +within him, cried out that Randver should be taken and tied up to the +gallows-tree. + +And as he was led to the gallows he took his hawk and plucked the +feathers from off it, and bade show it to his father; and when the king +saw it, then he said, "Now may folk behold that he deemeth my honour to +be gone away from me, even as the feathers of this hawk;" and therewith +he bade deliver him from the gallows. + +But in that while had Bikki wrought his will, and Randver was +dead-slain. + +And, moreover, Bikki spake, "Against none hast thou more wrongs to +avenge thee of than against Swanhild; let her die a shameful death." + +"Yea," said the king, "we will do after thy counsel." + +So she was bound in the gate of the burg, and horses were driven at her +to tread her down; but when she opened her eyes wide, then the horses +durst not trample her; so when Bikki beheld that, he bade draw a bag +over the head of her; and they did so, and therewith she lost her life. +(1) + + + ENDNOTES + (1) In the prose Edda the slaying of Swanhild is a spontaneous + and sudden act on the part of the king. As he came back + from hunting one day, there sat Swanhild washing her linen, + and it came into the king's mind how that she was the cause + of all his woe, so he and his men rode over her and slew + her.--Tr. + + + +CHAPTER XLII. Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild. + +Now Gudrun heard of the slaying of Swanhild, and spake to her sons, "Why +sit ye here in peace amid merry words, whereas Jormunrek hath slain your +sister, and trodden her under foot of horses in shameful wise? No heart +ye have in you like to Gunnar or Hogni; verily they would have avenged +their kinswoman!" + +Hamdir answered, "Little didst thou praise Gunnar and Hogni, whereas +they slew Sigurd, and thou wert reddened in the blood of him, and ill +were thy brethren avenged by the slaying of thine own sons: yet not +so ill a deed were it for us to slay King Jormunrek, and so hard thou +pushest us on to this that we may naught abide thy hard words." + +Gudrun went about laughing now, and gave them to drink from mighty +beakers, and thereafter she got for them great byrnies and good, and all +other weed (1) of war. + +Then spake Hamdir, "Lo now, this is our last parting, for thou shalt +hear tidings of us, and drink one grave-ale (2) over us and over +Swanhild." + +So therewith they went their ways. + +But Gudrun went unto her bower, with heart swollen with sorrow, and +spake-- + +"To three men was I wedded, and first to Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and he +was bewrayed and slain, and of all griefs was that the greatest grief. +Then was I given to King Atli, and so fell was my heart toward him that +I slew in the fury of my grief his children and mine. Then gave I myself +to the sea, but the billows thereof cast me out aland, and to this king +then was I given; then gave I Swanhild away out of the land with mighty +wealth; and lo, my next greatest sorrow after Sigurd, for under horses' +feet was she trodden and slain; but the grimmest and ugliest of woes +was the casting of Gunnar into the Worm-close, and the hardest was the +cutting of Hogni's heart from him. + +"Ah, better would it be if Sigurd came to meet me, and I went my ways +with him, for here bideth now behind with me neither son nor daughter +to comfort me. Oh, mindest thou not, Sigurd, the words we spoke when we +went into one bed together, that thou wouldst come and look on me; yea, +even from thine abiding place among the dead?" + +And thus had the words of her sorrow an end. + + + ENDNOTE: + (1) Weed (A.S. "weodo"), clothing. + (2) Grave-ale, burial-feast. + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. The Latter End of all the Kin of the Giukings. + +Now telleth the tale concerning the sons of Gudrun, that she had arrayed +their war-raiment in such wise, that no steel would bite thereon; and +she bade them play not with stones or other heavy matters, for that it +would be to their scathe if they did so. + +And now, as they went on their way, they met Erp, their brother, and +asked him in what wise he would help them. + +He answered, "Even as hand helps hand, or foot helps foot." + +But that they deemed naught at all, and slew him there and then. Then +they went their ways, nor was it long or ever Hamdir stumbled, and +thrust down his hand to steady himself, and spake therewith-- + +"Naught but a true thing spake Erp, for now should I have fallen, had +not hand been to steady me." + +A little after Sorli stumbled, but turned about on his feet, and +so stood, and spake-- + +"Yea now had I fallen, but that I steadied myself with both feet." + +And they said they had done evilly with Erp their brother. + +But on they fare till they come to the abode of King Jormunrek, and they +went up to him and set on him forthwith, and Hamdir cut both hands from +him and Sorli both feet. Then spake Hamdir-- + +"Off were the head if Erp were alive; our brother, whom we slew on the +way, and found out our deed too late." Even as the Song says,-- + + "Off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold, + Whom we slew by the way, + The well-famed in warfare." + +Now in this must they turn away from the words of their mother, whereas +they had to deal with stones. For now men fell on them, and they +defended themselves in good and manly wise, and were the scathe of many +a man, nor would iron bite on them. + +But there came thereto a certain man, old of aspect and one-eyed, (1) +and he spake-- + +"No wise men are ye, whereas ye cannot bring these men to their end." + +Then the king said, "Give us rede thereto, if thou canst." + +He said, "Smite them to the death with stones." + +In such wise was it done, for the stones flew thick and fast from every +side, and that was the end of their life-days. + +And now has come to an end the whole root and stem of the Giukings. (2) + + NOW MAY ALL EARLS + BE BETTERED IN MIND, + MAY THE GRIEF OF ALL MAIDENS + EVER BE MINISHED, + FOR THIS TALE OF TROUBLE + SO TOLD TO ITS ENDING. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin; he ends the tale as he began it. + (2) "And now," etc., inserted by translators from the Poetic + Edda, the stanza at the end from the Whetting of Gudrun. + + + +APPENDIX: EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA. + + + + +PART OF THE SECOND LAY OF HELGI HUNDINGS-BANE (1) + +Helgi wedded Sigrun, and they begate sons together, but Helgi lived not +to be old; for Dag, (2) the son of Hogni, sacrificed to Odin, praying +that he might avenge his father. So Odin lent Dag his spear, and Dag met +Helgi, his brother-in-law, at a place called Fetter-grove, and thrust +him through with that spear, and there fell Helgi dead; but Dag rode to +Sevafell, and told Sigrun of the news. + + DAG: + Loth am I, sister + Of sorrow to tell thee, + For by hard need driven + Have I drawn on the greeting; + This morning fell + In Fetter-grove + The king well deemed + The best in the wide world, + Yea, he who stood + On the necks of the strong." + + SIGRUN: + All oaths once sworn + Shall bite thee sore, + The oaths that to Helgi + Once thou swarest + At the bright white + Water of Lightening, (3) + And at the cold rock + That the sea runneth over. + + May the ship sweep not on + That should sweep at its swiftest, + Though the wind desired + Behind thee driveth! + May the horse never run + That should run at his most might + When from thy foe's face + Thou hast most need to flee! + + May the sword never bite + That thou drawest from scabbard + But and if round thine head + In wrath it singeth! + + Then should meet price be paid + For Helgi's slaying + When a wolf thou wert + Out in the wild-wood, + Empty of good things + Empty of gladness, + With no meat for thy mouth + But dead men's corpses! + + DAG: + With mad words thou ravest, + Thy wits are gone from thee, + When thou for thy brother + Such ill fate biddest; + Odin alone + Let all this bale loose, + Casting the strife-runes + 'Twixt friends and kindred. + + Rings of red gold + Will thy brother give thee, + And the stead of Vandil + And the lands of Vigdale; + Have half of the land + For thy sorrow's healing, + O ring-arrayed sweetling + For thee and thy sons! + + SIGRUN: + No more sit I happy + At Sevafell; + At day-dawn, at night + Naught love I my life + Till broad o'er the people + My lord's light breaketh; + Till his war-horse runneth + Beneath him hither, + Well wont to the gold bit-- + Till my king I welcome. + + In such wise did Helgi + Deal fear around + To all his foes + And all their friends + As when the goat runneth + Before the wolf's rage + Filled with mad fear + Down from the fell. + + As high above all lords + Did Helgi beat him + As the ash-tree's glory + From the thorn ariseth, + Or as the fawn + With the dew-fell sprinkled + Is far above + All other wild things, + As his horns go gleaming + 'Gainst the very heavens. + +A barrow was raised above Helgi, but when he came in Valhall, then Odin +bade him be lord of all things there, even as he; so Helgi sang-- + + HELGI: + Now shalt thou, Hunding + For the help of each man + Get ready the foot-bath, + And kindle the fire; + The hounds shalt thou bind + And give heed to the horses, + Give wash to the swine + Ere to sleep thou goest. + +A bondmaid of Sigrun went in the evening-tide by Helgi's mound, and +there saw how Helgi rode toward it with a great company; then she sang-- + + BONDMAID: + It is vain things' beguilling + That methinks I behold, + Or the ending of all things, + As ye ride, O ye dead men, + Smiting with spurs + Your horses' sides? + Or may dead warriors + Wend their ways homeward? + + THE DEAD: + No vain things' beguiling + Is that thou beholdest, + Nor the ruin of all things; + Though thou lookest upon us, + Though we smite with spurs + Our horses' sides; + Rather dead warriors + May wend their ways homeward. + +Then went the bondmaid home, and told Sigrun, and sang-- + + BONDMAID: + Go out, Sigrun + From Sevafell, + If thou listest to look on + The lord of thy people! + For the mound is uncovered + Thither is Helgi come, + And his wounds are bleeding, + But the king thee biddeth + To come and stay + That stream of sorrow. + +So Sigrun went into the mound to Helgi, and sang-- + + SIGRUN: + Now am I as fain + Of this fair meeting, + As are the hungry + Hawks of Odin, + When they wot of the slaying + Of the yet warm quarry, + Or bright with dew + See the day a-dawning. + + Ah, I will kiss + My king laid lifeless, + Ere thou castest by + Thy blood-stained byrny. + O Helgi, thy hair + Is thick with death's rime, + With the dew of the dead + Is my love all dripping; + Dead-cold are the hands + Of the son of Hogni; + How for thee, O my king, + May I win healing? + + HELGI: + Thou alone, Sigrun + Of Sevafell, + Hast so done that Helgi + With grief's dew drippeth; + O clad in gold + Cruel tears thou weepest, + Bright May of the Southlands, + Or ever thou sleepest; + Each tear in blood falleth + On the breast of thy lord, + Cold wet and bitter-sharp + Swollen with sorrow. + + Ah, we shall drink + Dear draughts and lovely, + Though, we have lost + Both life and lands; + Neither shall any + Sing song of sorrow, + Though in my breast + Be wounds wide to behold: + For now are brides + In the mound abiding; + Kings' daughters sit + By us departed. + +Bow Sigrun arrayed a bed in the mound, and sang-- + + SIGRUN: + Here, Helgi, for thee + A bed have I dight, + Kind without woe, + O kin of the Ylfings! + To thy bosom, O king, + Will I come and sleep soft, + As I was wont + When my lord was living. + + HELGI: + Now will I call + Naught not to be hoped for + Early or late + At Sevafell, + When thou in the arms + Of a dead man art laid, + White maiden of Hogni, + Here in the mound: + And thou yet quick, + O King's daughter! + + Now needs must I ride + On the reddening ways; + My pale horse must tread + The highway aloft; + West must I go + To Windhelm's bridge + Ere the war-winning crowd + Hall-crower (4) waketh. + +So Helgi rode his ways: and the others gat them gone home to the house. +But the next night Sigrun bade the bondwoman have heed of the mound. So +at nightfall, thenas Sigrun came to the mound, she sang: + + SIGRUN: + Here now would he come, + If to come he were minded; + Sigmund's offspring + From the halls of Odin. + O me the hope waneth + Of Helgi's coming; + For high on the ash-boughs + Are the ernes abiding, + And all folk drift + Toward the Thing of the dreamland. + + BONDMAID: + Be not foolish of heart, + And fare all alone + To the house of the dead, + O Hero's daughter! + For more strong and dreadful + In the night season + Are all dead warriors + Than in the daylight. + +But a little while lived Sigrun, because of her sorrow and trouble. +But in old time folk trowed that men should be born again, though their +troth be now deemed but an old wife's dotting. And so, as folk say, +Helgi and Sigrun were born again, and at that tide was he called Helgi +the Scathe of Hadding, and she Kara the daughter of Halfdan; and she was +a Valkyrie, even as is said in the Lay of Kara. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Only that part of the song is given which completes the + episodes of Helgi Hunding's-bane; the earlier part of the + song differs little from the Saga. + (2) Hogni, the father of Dar and Sigrun, had been slain by Helgi + in battle, and Helgi had given peace to, and taken oaths of + Dag. + (3) One of the rivers of the under-world. + (4) Hall-crower, "Salgofnir": lit. Hall-gaper, the cock of + Valhall. + + + + +PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) + + Now this is my first counsel, + That thou with thy kin + Be guiltless, guileless ever, + Nor hasty of wrath, + Despite of wrong done-- + Unto the dead good that doeth. + + Lo the second counsel, + That oath thou swearest never, + But trusty oath and true: + Grim tormenting + Gripes troth-breakers; + Cursed wretch is the wolf of vows. + + This is my third rede, + That thou at the Thing + Deal not with the fools of folk; + For unwise man + From mouth lets fall + Worser word than well he wotteth. + + Yet hard it is + That holding of peace + When men shall deem thee dastard, + Or deem the lie said soothly; + But woeful is home-witness, + Unless right good thou gettest it. + Ah, on another day + Drive the life from out him, + And pay the liar back for his lying. + + Now behold the fourth rede: + If ill witch thee bideth, + Woe-begatting by the way, + Good going further + Rather than guesting, + Though thick night be on thee. + + Far-seeing eyes + Need all sons of men + Who wend in wrath to war; + For baleful women + Bide oft by the highway, + Swords and hearts to soften. + + And now the fifth rede: + As fair as thou seest + Brides on the bench abiding, + Let not love's silver + Rule over thy sleeping; + Draw no woman to kind kissing! + + For the sixth thing, I rede + When men sit a-drinking + Amid ale-words and ill-words, + Dead thou naught + With the drunken fight-staves + For wine stealeth wit from many. + + Brawling and drink + Have brought unto men + Sorrow sore oft enow; + Yea, bane unto some, + And to some weary bale; + Many are the griefs of mankind. + + For the seventh, I rede thee, + If strife thou raisest + With a man right high of heart, + Better fight a-field + Than burn in the fire + Within thine hall fair to behold. + + The eighth rede that I give thee: + Unto all ill look thou, + And hold thine heart from all beguiling; + Draw to thee no maiden, + No man's wife bewray thou, + Urge them not unto unmeet pleasure. + + This is the ninth counsel: + That thou have heed of dead folk + Whereso thou findest them a-field; + Be they sick-dead, + Be they sea-dead, + Or come to ending by war-weapons. + + Let bath be made + For such men fordone, + Wash thou hands and feet thereof, + Comb their hair and dry them + Ere the coffin has them; + Then bid them sleep full sweetly. + + This for the tenth counsel: + That thou give trust never + Unto oaths of foeman's kin, + Be'st thou bane of his brother, + Or hast thou felled his father; + Wolf in young son waxes, + Though he with gold be gladdened. + + For wrong and hatred + Shall rest them never, + Nay, nor sore sorrow. + Both wit and weapons + Well must the king have + Who is fain to be the foremost. + + The last rede and eleventh: + Until all ill look thou. + And watch thy friends' ways ever + Scarce durst I look + For long life for thee, king: + Strong trouble ariseth now already. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This continues the first part of the lay given in Chapter XX + of the Saga; and is, in fact, the original verse of Chapter + XXI. + + + + +THE LAY CALLED THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD. + + Sigurd of yore, + Sought the dwelling of Giuki, + As he fared, the young Volsung, + After fight won; + Troth he took + From the two brethren; + Oath swore they betwixt them, + Those bold ones of deed. + + A may they gave to him + And wealth manifold, + Gudrun the young, + Giuki's daughter: + They drank and gave doom + Many days together, + Sigurd the young, + And the sons of Giuki. + + Until they wended + For Brynhild's wooing, + Sigurd a-riding + Amidst their rout; + The wise young Volsung + Who knew of all ways-- + Ah! He had wed her, + Had fate so willed it. + + Southlander Sigurd + A naked sword, + Bright, well grinded, + Laid betwixt them; + No kiss he won + From the fair woman, + Nor in arms of his + Did the Hun King hold her, + Since he gat the young maid + For the son of Giuki. + + No lack in her life + She wotted of now, + And at her death-day + No dreadful thing + For a shame indeed + Or a shame in seeming; + But about and betwixt + Went baleful fate. + + Alone, abroad, + She sat of an evening, + Of full many things + She fall a-talking: + "O for my Sigurd! + I shall have death, + Or my fair, my lovely, + Laid in mine arms. + + "For the word once spoken, + I sorrow sorely-- + His queen is Gudrun, + I am wed to Gunnar; + The dread Norns wrought for us + A long while of woe." + + Oft with heart deep + In dreadful thoughts, + O'er ice-fields and ice-hills + She fared a-night time, + When he and Gudrun + Were gone to their fair bed, + And Sigurd wrapped + The bed-gear round her. + + "Ah! Now the Hun King + His queen in arms holdeth, + While love I go lacking, + And all things longed for + With no delight + But in dreadful thought." + + These dreadful things + Thrust her toward murder: + --"Listen, Gunnar, + For thou shalt lose + My wide lands, + Yea, me myself! + Never love I my life, + With thee for my lord-- + + "I will fare back thither + From whence I came, + To my nighest kin + And those that know me + There shall I sit + Sleeping my life away, + Unless thou slayest + Sigurd the Hun King, + Making thy might more + E'en than his might was! + + "Yea, let the son fare + After the father, + And no young wolf + A long while nourish! + For on earth man lieth + Vengeance lighter, + And peace shall be surer + If the son live not." + + Adrad was Gunnar, + Heavy-hearted was he, + And in doubtful mood + Day-long he sat. + For naught he wotted, + Nor might see clearly + What was the seemliest + Of deeds to set hand to; + What of all deeds + Was best to be done: + For he minded the vows + Sworn to the Volsung, + And the sore wrong + To be wrought against Sigurd. + + Wavered his mind + A weary while, + No wont it was + Of those days worn by, + That queens should flee + From the realms of their kings. + + "Brynhild to me + Is better than all, + The child of Budli + Is the best of women. + Yea, and my life + Will I lay down, + Ere I am twinned + From that woman's treasure." + + He bade call Hogni + To the place where he bided; + With all the trust that might be, + Trowed he in him. + + "Wilt thou bewray Sigurd + For his wealth's sake? + Good it is to rule + O'er the Rhine's metal; + And well content + Great wealth to wield, + Biding in peace + And blissful days." + + One thing alone Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Such doings for us + Are naught seemly to do; + To rend with sword + Oaths once sworn, + Oaths once sworn, + And troth once plighted. + + "Nor know we on mould, + Men of happier days, + The while we four + Rule over the folk; + While the bold in battle, + The Hun King, bides living. + + "And no nobler kin + Shall be known afield, + If our five sons + We long may foster; + Yea, a goodly stem + Shall surely wax. + --But I clearly see + In what wise it standeth, + Brynhild's sore urging + O'ermuch on thee beareth. + + "Guttorm shall we + Get for the slaying, + Our younger brother + Bare of wisdom; + For he was out of + All the oaths sworn, + All the oaths sworn, + And the plighted troth." + + Easy to rouse him + Who of naught recketh! + --Deep stood the sword + In the heart of Sigurd. + + There, in the hall, + Gat the high-hearted vengeance; + For he can his sword + At the reckless slayer: + Out at Guttorm + Flew Gram the mighty, + The gleaming steel + From Sigurd's hand. + + Down fell the slayer + Smitten asunder; + The heavy head + And the hands fell one way, + But the feet and such like + Aback where they stood. + + Gudrun was sleeping + Soft in the bed, + Empty of sorrow + By the side of Sigurd: + When she awoke + With all pleasure gone, + Swimming in blood + Of Frey's beloved. + + So sore her hands + She smote together, + That the great-hearted + Gat raised in bed; + --"O Gudrun, weep not + So woefully, + Sweet lovely bride, + For thy brethren live for thee! + + "A young child have I + For heritor; + Too young to win forth + From the house of his foes.-- + Black deeds and ill + Have they been a-doing, + Evil rede + Have they wrought at last. + + "Late, late, rideth with them + Unto the Thing, + Such sister's son, + Though seven thou bear,-- + --But well I wot + Which way all goeth; + Alone wrought Brynhild + This bale against us. + + "That maiden loved me + Far before all men, + Yet wrong to Gunnar + I never wrought; + Brotherhood I heeded + And all bounden oaths, + That none should deem me + His queen's darling." + + Weary sighed Gudrun, + As the king gat ending, + And so sore her hands + She smote together, + That the cups arow + Rang out therewith, + And the geese cried on high + That were in the homefield. + + Then laughed Brynhild + Budli's daughter, + Once, once only, + From out her heart; + When to her bed + Was borne the sound + Of the sore greeting + Of Giuki's daughter. + + Then, quoth Gunnar, + The king, the hawk-bearer, + "Whereas, thou laughest, + O hateful woman, + Glad on thy bed, + No good it betokeneth: + Why lackest thou else + Thy lovely hue? + Feeder of foul deeds, + Fey do I deem thee, + + "Well worthy art thou + Before all women, + That thine eyes should see + Atli slain of us; + That thy brother's wounds + Thou shouldest see a-bleeding, + That his bloody hurts + Thine hands should bind." + + "No man blameth thee, Gunnar, + Thou hast fulfilled death's measure + But naught Atli feareth + All thine ill will; + Life shall he lay down + Later than ye, + And still bear more might + Aloft than thy might. + + "I shall tell thee, Gunnar, + Though well the tale thou knowest, + In what early days + Ye dealt abroad your wrong: + Young was I then, + Worn with no woe, + Good wealth I had + In the house of my brother! + + "No mind had I + That a man should have me, + Or ever ye Giukings, + Rode into our garth; + There ye sat on your steeds + Three kings of the people-- + --Ah! That that faring + Had never befallen! + + "Then spake Atli + To me apart, + And said that no wealth + He would give unto me, + Neither gold nor lands + If I would not be wedded; + Nay, and no part + Of the wealth apportioned, + Which in my first days + He gave me duly; + Which in my first days + He counted down. + + "Wavered the mind + Within me then, + If to fight I should fall + And the felling of folk, + Bold in Byrny + Because of my brother; + A deed of fame + Had that been to all folk, + But to many a man + Sorrow of mind. + + "So I let all sink + Into peace at the last: + More grew I minded + For the mighty treasure, + The red-shining rings + Of Sigmund's son; + For no man's wealth else + Would I take unto me. + + "For myself had I given + To that great king + Who sat amid gold + On the back of Grani; + Nought were his eyes + Like to your eyen, + Nor in any wise + Went his visage with yours; + Though ye might deem you + Due kings of men. + + "One I loved, + One, and none other, + The gold-decked may + Had no doubtful mind; + Thereof shall Atli + Wot full surely, + When he getteth to know + I am gone to the dead. + + "Far be it from me, + Feeble and wavering, + Ever to love + Another's love-- + --Yes shall my woe + Be well avenged." + + Up rose Gunnar, + The great men's leader, + And cast his arms + About the queen's neck; + And all went nigh + One after other, + With their whole hearts + Her heart to turn. + + But then all these + From her neck she thrust, + Of her long journey + No man should let her. + + Then called he Hogni + To have talk with him; + "Let all folk go + Forth into the hall, + Thine with mine-- + --O need sore and mighty!-- + To wot if we yet + My wife's parting may stay. + Till with time's wearing + Some hindrance wax." + + One answer Hogni + Had for all; + "Nay, let hard need + Have rule thereover, + And no man let her + Of her long journey! + Never born again, + May she come back thence! + + "Luckless she came + To the lap of her mother, + Born into the world + For utter woe, + TO many a man + For heart-whole mourning." + + Upraised he turned + From the talk and the trouble, + To where the gem-field + Dealt out goodly treasure; + As she looked and beheld + All the wealth that she had, + And the hungry bondmaids, + And maids of the hall. + + With no good in her heart + She donned her gold byrny, + Ere she thrust the sword point + Through the midst of her body: + On the boister's far side + Sank she adown, + And, smitten with sword, + Still bethought her of redes. + + "Let all come forth + Who are fain the red gold, + Or things less worthy + To win from my hands; + To each one I give + A necklace gilt over, + Wrought hangings and bed=gear, + And bright woven weed." + + All they kept silence, + And thought what to speak, + Then all at once + Answer gave: + "Full enow are death-doomed, + Fain are we to live yet, + Maids of the hall + All meet work winning." + + "From her wise heart at last + The linen-clad damsel, + The one of few years + Gave forth the word: + "I will that none driven + By hand or by word, + For our sake should lose + Well-loved life. + + "Thou on the bones of you + Surely shall burn, + Less dear treasure + At your departing + Nor with Menia's Meal (1) + Shall ye come to see me." + + "Sit thee down, Gunnar, + A word must I say to thee + Of the life's ruin + Of thy lightsome bride-- + --Nor shall thy ship + Swim soft and sweetly + For all that I + Lay life adown. + + "Sooner than ye might deem + Shall ye make peace with Gudrun, + For the wise woman + Shall full in the young wife + The hard memory + Of her dead husband. + + "There is a may born + Reared by her mother, + Whiter and brighter + Than is the bright day; + She shall be Swanhild, + She shall be Sunbeam. + + "Thou shalt give Gudrun + Unto a great one, + Noble, well-praised + Of the world's folk; + Not with her goodwill, + Or love shalt thou give her; + Yet will Atli + Come to win her, + My very brother, + Born of Budli. + + --"Ah! Many a memory + Of how ye dealt with me, + How sorely, how evilly + Ye ever beguiled me, + How all pleasure left me + The while my life lasted--! + + "Fain wilt thou be + Oddrun to win, + But thy good liking + Shall Atli let; + But in secret wise + Shall ye win together, + And she shall love thee + As I had loved thee, + If in such wise + Fare had willed it. + + "But with all ill + Shall Atli sting thee, + Into the strait worm-close + Shall he cast thee. + + "But no long space + Shall slip away + Ere Atli too + All life shall lose, + Yea, all his weal + With the life of his sons, + For a dreadful bed + Dights Gudrun for him, + From a heart sore laden, + With the sword's sharp edge. + + "More seemly for Gudrun, + Your very sister, + In death to wend after + Her love first wed; + Had but good rede + To her been given, + Or if her heart + Had been like to my heart. + + --"Faint my speech groweth-- + But for our sake + Ne'er shall she lose + Her life beloved; + The sea shall have her, + High billows bear her + Forth unto Jonakr's + Fair land of his fathers. + + "There shall she bear sons, + Stays of a heritage, + Stays of a heritage, + Jonakr's sons; + And Swanhild shall she + Send from the land, + That may born of her, + The may born of Sigurd. + + "Her shall bite + The rede of Bikki, + Whereas for no good + Wins Jormunrek life; + And so is clean perished + All the kin of Sigurd, + Yea, and more greeting, + And more for Gudrun. + + "And now one prayer + Yet pray I of thee-- + That last word of mine + Here in the world-- + So broad on the field + Be the burg of the dead + That fair space may be left + For us all to lie down, + All those that died + At Sigurd's death! + + "Hang round that burg + Fair hangings and shields, + Web by Gauls woven, + And folk of the Gauls: + There burn the Hun King + Lying beside me. + + "But on the other side + Burn by the Hun King + Those who served me + Strewn with treasure; + Two at the head, + And two at the feet, + Two hounds therewith, + And two hawks moreover: + Then is all dealt + With even dealing. + + "Lay there amidst us + The right-dight metal, + The sharp-edged steel, + That so lay erst; + When we both together + Into one bed went, + And were called by the name + Of man and wife. + + "Never, then, belike + Shall clash behind him + Valhall's bright door + With rings bedight: + And if my fellowship + Followeth after, + In no wretched wise + Then shall we wend. + + "For him shall follow + My five bondmaids, + My eight bondsmen, + No borel folk: + Yea, and my fosterer, + And my father's dower + That Budli of old days + Gave to his dear child. + + "Much have I spoken, + More would I speak, + If the sword would give me + Space for speech; + But my words are waning, + My wounds are swelling-- + Naught but truth have I told-- + --And now make I ending." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Menia's Maid"--periphrasis for gold. + + + + +THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD. + +After the death of Brynhild were made two bales, one for Sigurd, and +that was first burned; but Brynhild was burned on the other, and she was +in a chariot hung about with goodly hangings. + +And so folk say that Brynhild drave in her chariot down along the way +to Hell, and passed by an abode where dwelt a certain giantess, and the +giantess spake:-- + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Nay, with my goodwill + Never goest thou + Through this stone-pillared + Stead of mine! + More seemly for thee + To sit sewing the cloth, + Than to go look on + The love of another. + + "What dost thou, going + From the land of the Gauls, + O restless head, + To this mine house? + Golden girl, hast thou not, + If thou listest to hearken, + In sweet wise from thy hands + The blood of men washen?" + + BRYNHILD + "Nay, blame me naught, + Bride of the rock-hall, + Though I roved a warring + In the days that were; + The higher of us twain + Shall I ever be holden + When of our kind + Men make account." + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Thou, O Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Wert the worst ever born + Into the world; + For Giuki's children + Death hast thou gotten, + And turned to destruction + Their goodly dwelling." + + BRYNHILD + "I shall tell thee + True tale from my chariot, + O thou who naught wottest, + If thou listest to wot; + How for me they have gotten + Those heirs of Giuki, + A loveless life, + A life of lies. + + "Hild under helm, + The Hlymdale people, + E'en those who knew me, + Ever would call me. + + "The changeful shapes + Of us eight sisters, + The wise king bade + Under oak-tree to bear; + Of twelve winters was I, + If thou listest to wot, + When I sware to the young lord + Oaths of love. + + "Thereafter gat I + Mid the folk of the Goths, + For Helmgunnar the old, + Swift journey to Hell, + And gave to Aud's brother + The young, gain and glory; + Whereof overwrath + Waxed Odin with me. + + "So he shut me in shield-wall + In Skata grove, + Red shields and white + Close set around me; + And bade him alone + My slumber to break + Who in no land + Knew how to fear. + + "He set round my hall, + Toward the south quarter, + The Bane of all trees + Burning aloft; + And ruled that he only + Thereover should ride + Who should bring me the gold + O'er which Fafnir brooded. + + "Then upon Grani rode + The goodly gold-strewer + To where my fosterer + Ruled his fair dwelling. + He who alone there + Was deemed best of all, + The War-lord of the Danes, + Well worthy of men. + + "In peace did we sleep + Soft in one bed, + As though he had been + Naught but my brother: + There as we lay + Through eight nights wearing, + No hand in love + On each other we laid. + + "Yet thence blamed me, Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That I had slept + In the arms of Sigurd; + And then I wotted + As I fain had not wotted, + That they had bewrayed me + In my betrothals. + + "Ah! For unrest + All too long + Are men and women + Made alive! + Yet we twain together + Shall wear through the ages, + Sigurd and I.-- + --Sink adown, O giant-wife!" + + + + +FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF BRYNHILD + + HOGNI SAID: + "What hath wrought Sigurd + Of any wrong-doing + That the life of the famed one + Thou art fain of taking?" + + GUNNAR SAID: + "To me has Sigurd + Sworn many oaths, + Sworn many oaths, + And sworn them lying, + And he bewrayed me + When it behoved him + Of all folk to his troth + To be the most trusty." + + HOGNI SAID: + "Thee hath Brynhild + Unto all bale, + And all hate whetted, + And a work of sorrow; + For she grudges to Gudrun + All goodly life; + And to thee the bliss + Of her very body." + + .......... + + Some the wolf roasted, + Some minced the worm, + Some unto Guttorm + Gave the wolf-meat, + Or ever they might + In their lust for murder + On the high king + Lay deadly hand. + + Sigurd lay slain + On the south of the Rhine + High from the fair tree + Croaked forth the raven, + "Ah, yet shall Atli + On you redden edges, + The old oaths shall weigh + On your souls, O warriors." + + Without stood Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + And the first word she said + Was even this word: + "Where then is Sigurd, + Lord of the Warfolk, + Since my kin + Come riding the foremost? + + One word Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Our swords have smitten + Sigurd asunder, + And the grey horse hangs drooping + O'er his lord lying dead." + + Then quoth Brynhild, + Budli's daughter; + "Good weal shall ye have + Of weapons and lands, + That Sigurd alone + Would surely have ruled + If he had lived + But a little longer. + + "Ah, nothing seemly + For Sigurd to rule + Giuki's house + And the folk of the Goths, + When of him five sons + For the slaying of men, + Eager for battle, + Should have been begotten!" + + Then laughed Brynhild-- + Loud rang the whole house-- + One laugh only + From out her heart: + "Long shall your bliss be + Of lands and people, + Whereas the famed lord + You have felled to the earth!" + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter; + "Much thou speakest, + Many things fearful, + All grame be on Gunnar + The bane of Sigurd! + From a heart full of hate + Shall come heavy vengeance." + + Forth sped the even + Enow there was drunken, + Full enow was there + Of all soft speech; + And all men got sleep + When to bed they were gotten; + Gunnar only lay waking + Long after all men. + + His feet fell he to moving, + Fell to speak to himself + The waster of men, + Still turned in his mind + What on the bough + Those twain would be saying, + The raven and erne, + As they rode their ways homeward. + + But Brynhild awoke, + Budli's daughter, + May of the shield-folk, + A little ere morning: + "Thrust ye on, hold ye back, + --Now all harm is wrought,-- + To tell of my sorrow, + Or to let all slip by me?" + + All kept silence + After her speaking, + None might know + That woman's mind, + Or why she must weep + To tell of the work + That laughing once + Of men she prayed. + + BRYNHILD SPAKE: + "In dreams, O Gunnar, + Grim things fell on me; + Dead-cold the hall was, + And my bed was a-cold, + And thou, lord, wert riding + Reft of all bliss, + Laden with fetters + 'Mid the host of thy foemen." + + "So now all ye, + O House of the Niblungs, + Shall be brought to naught, + O ye oath-breakers! + + "Think'st thou not, Gunnar, + How that betid, + When ye let the blood run + Both in one footstep? + With ill reward + Hast thou rewarded + His heart so fain + To be the foremost! + + "As well was seen + When he rode his ways, + That king of all worth, + Unto my wooing; + How the host-destroyer + Held to the vows + Sworn beforetime, + Sworn to the young king. + + "For his wounding-wand + All wrought with gold, + The king beloved + Laid between us; + Without were its edges + Wrought with fire, + But with venom-drops + Deep dyed within." + +Thus this song telleth of the death of Sigurd, and setteth forth how +that they slew him without doors; but some say that they slew him within +doors, sleeping in his bed. But the Dutch Folk say that they slew him +out in the wood: and so sayeth the ancient song of Gudrun, that Sigurd +and the sons of Giuki were riding to the Thing whenas he was slain. But +all with one accord say that they bewrayed him in their troth with him, +and fell on him as he lay unarrayed and unawares. + + + + +THE SECOND OR ANCIENT LAY OF GUDRUN. + +Thiodrek the King was in Atli's house, and had lost there the more part +of his men: so there Thiodrek and Gudrun bewailed their troubles one to +the other, and she spake and said:-- + + A may of all mays + My mother reared me + Bright in bower; + Well loved I my brethren, + Until that Giuki + With gold arrayed me, + With gold arrayed me, + And gave me to Sigurd. + + Such was my Sigurd, + Among the sons of Giuki + As is the green leek + O'er the low grass waxen, + Or a hart high-limbed + Over hurrying deer, + Or glede-red gold + Over grey silver. + + Till me they begrudged, + Those my brethren, + The fate to have him, + Who was first of all men; + Nor might they sleep, + Nor sit a-dooming, + Ere they let slay + My well-loved Sigurd. + + Grani ran to the Thing, + There was clatter to hear, + But never came Sigurd + Himself thereunto; + All the saddle-girt beasts + With blood were besprinkled, + As faint with the way + Neath the slayers they went. + + Then greeting I went + With Grani to talk, + And with tear-furrowed cheeks + I bade him tell all; + But drooping laid Grani, + His head in the grass, + For the steed well wotted + Of his master's slaying. + + A long while I wandered, + Long my mind wavered, + Ere the kings I might ask + Concerning my king. + + Then Gunnar hung head, + But Hogni told + Of the cruel slaying + Of my Sigurd: + "On the water's far side + Lies, smitten to death, + The bane of Guttorm + To the wolves given over. + + "Go, look on Sigurd, + On the ways that go southward, + There shalt thou hear + The ernes high screaming, + The ravens a-croaking + As their meat they crave for; + Thou shalt hear the wolves howling + Over thine husband. + + "How hast thou, Hogni, + The heart to tell me, + Me of joy made empty, + Of such misery? + Thy wretched heart + May the ravens tear + Wide over the world, + With no men mayst thou wend." + + One thing Hogni + Had for answer, + Fallen from his high heart, + Full of all trouble: + "More greeting yet, + O Gudrun, for thee, + If my heart the ravens + Should rend asunder!" + + Thence I turned + From the talk and the trouble + To go a leasing (1) + What the wolves had left me; + No sigh I made + No smote hands together, + Nor did I wail + As other women + When I sat over + My Sigurd slain. + + Night methought it, + And the moonless dark, + When I sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Better than all things + I deemed it would be + If they would let me + Cast my life by, + Or burn me up + As they burn the birch-wood. + + From the fell I wandered + Five days together, + Until the high hall + Of Half lay before me; + Seven seasons there + I sat with Thora, + The daughter of Hacon, + Up in Denmark. + + My heart to gladden + With gold she wrought + Southland halls + And swans of the Dane-folk; + There had we painted + The chiefs a-playing; + Fair our hands wrought + Folk of the kings. + + Red shields we did, + Doughty knights of the Huns, + Hosts spear-dight, hosts helm-dight, + All a high king's fellows; + And the ships of Sigmund + From the land swift sailing; + Heads gilt over + And prows fair graven. + + On the cloth we broidered + That tide of their battling, + Siggeir and Siggar, + South in Fion. + + Then heard Grimhild, + The Queen of Gothland, + How I was abiding, + Weighed down with woe; + And she thrust the cloth from her + And called to her sons, + And oft and eagerly + Asked them thereof, + Who for her son + Would their sister atone, + Who for her lord slain + Would lay down weregild. + + Fain was Gunnar + Gold to lay down + All wrongs to atone for, + And Hogni in likewise; + Then she asked who was fain + Of faring straightly, + The steed to saddle + To set forth the wain, + The horse to back, + And the hawk to fly, + To shoot forth the arrow + From out the yew-bow. + + Valdarr the Dane-king + Came with Jarisleif + Eymod the third went + Then went Jarizskar; + In kingly wise + In they wended, + The host of the Longbeards; + Red cloaks had they, + Byrnies short-cut, + Helms strong hammered, + Girt with glaives, + And hair red-gleaming. + + Each would give me + Gifts desired, + Gifts desired, + Speech dear to my heart, + If they might yet, + Despite my sorrow, + Win back my trust, + But in them nought I trusted. + + Then brought me Grimhild + A beaker to drink of, + Cold and bitter, + Wrong's memory to quench; + Made great was that drink + With the might of the earth, + With the death-cold sea + And the blood that Son (2) holdeth. + + On that horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that mead were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood, + And brown-burnt acorns; + The black dew of the hearth, (3) + And god-doomed dead beasts' inwards + And the swine's liver sodden, + For wrongs late done that deadens. + + Then waned my memory + When that was within me, + Of my lord 'mid the hall + By the iron laid low. + Three kings came + Before my knees + Ere she herself + Fell to speech with me. + + "I will give to thee, Gudrun, + Gold to be glad with, + All the great wealth + Of thy father gone from us, + Rings of red gold + And the great hall of Lodver, + And all fair hangings left + By the king late fallen. + + "Maids of the Huns + Woven pictures to make, + And work fair in gold + Till thou deem'st thyself glad. + Alone shalt thou rule + O'er the riches of Budli, + Shalt be made great with gold, + And be given to Atli." + + "Never will I + Wend to a husband, + Or wed the brother + Of Queen Brynhild; + Naught it beseems me + With the son of Budli + Kin to bring forth, + Or to live and be merry." + + "Nay, the high chiefs + Reward not with hatred, + For take heed that I + Was the first in this tale! + To thy heart shall it be + As if both these had life, + Sigurd and Sigmund, + When thou hast borne sons." + + "Naught may I, Grimhild, + Seek after gladness, + Nor deem aught hopeful + Of any high warrior, + Since wolf and raven + Were friends together, + The greedy, the cruel, + O'er great Sigurd's heart-blood." + + "Of all men that can be + For the noblest of kin + This king have I found, + And the foremost of all; + Him shalt thou have + Till with eld thou art heavy-- + Be thou ever unwed, + If thou wilt naught of him!" + + "Nay, nay, bid me not + With thy words long abiding + To take unto me + That balefullest kin; + This king shall bid Gunnar + Be stung to his bane, + And shall cut the heart + From out of Hogni. + + "Nor shall I leave life + Ere the keen lord, + The eager in sword-play, + My hand shall make end of." + + Grimhild a-weeping + Took up the word then, + When the sore bale she wotted + Awaiting her sons, + And the bane hanging over + Her offspring beloved. + + "I will give thee, moreover, + Great lands, many men, + Wineberg and Valberg, + If thou wilt but have them; + Hold them lifelong, + And live happy, O daughter!" + + "Then him must I take + From among kingly men, + 'Gainst my heart's desire, + From the hands of my kinsfolk; + But no joy I look + To have from that lord: + Scarce may my brother's bane + Be a shield to my sons." + + Soon was each warrior + Seen on his horse, + But the Gaulish women + Into wains were gotten; + Then seven days long + O'er a cold land we rode, + And for seven other + Clove we the sea-waves. + But with the third seven + O'er dry land we wended. + + There the gate-wardens + Of the burg, high and wide, + Unlooked the barriers + Ere the burg-garth we rode to-- + + ............ + + Atli woke me + When meseemed I was + Full evil of heart + For my kin dead slain. + + "In such wise did the Norns + Wake me or now."-- + Fain was he to know + Of this ill foreshowing-- + "That methought, O Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That thou setst in my heart + A sword wrought for guile." + + "For fires tokening I deem it + That dreaming of iron, + But for pride and for lust + The wrath of fair women + Against some bale + Belike, I shall burn thee + For thy solace and healing + Though hateful thou art." + + "In the fair garth methought + Had saplings fallen + E'en such as I would + Should have waxen ever; + Uprooted were these, + And reddened with blood, + And borne to the bench, + And folk bade me eat of them. + + "Methought from my hand then + Went hawks a-flying + Lacking their meat + To the land of all ill; + Methought that their hearts + Mingled with honey, + Swollen with blood + I ate amid sorrow. + + "Lo, next two whelps + From my hands I loosened, + Joyless were both, + And both a-howling; + And now their flesh + Became naught but corpses, + Whereof must I eat + But sore against my will." + + "O'er the prey of the fishers + Will folk give doom; + From the bright white fish + The heads will they take; + Within a few nights, + Fey as they are, + A little ere day + Of that draught will they eat." + + "Ne'er since lay I down, + Ne'er since would I sleep, + Hard of heart, in my bed:-- + That deed have I to do. (4) + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "a vid lesa". "Leasing" is the word still + used for gleaning in many country sides in England. + (2) Son was the vessel into which was poured the blood of + Quasir, the God of Poetry. + (3) This means soot. + (4) The whole of this latter part is fragmentary and obscure; + there seems wanting to two of the dreams some trivial + interpretation by Gudrun, like those given by Hogni to + Kostbera in the Saga, of which nature, of course, the + interpretation contained in the last stanza but one is, as + we have rendered it: another rendering, from the different + reading of the earlier edition of "Edda" (Copenhagen, 1818) + would make this refer much more directly to the slaying of + her sons by Gudrun. + + + + +THE SONG OF ATLI. + +Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenger her brethren, as is told far and wide; +first she slew the sons of Atli, and then Atli himself; and she burned +the hall thereafter, and all the household with it: and about these +matters is this song made:-- + + In days long gone + Sent Atli to Gunnar + A crafty one riding, + Knefrud men called him; + To Giuki's garth came he, + To the hall of Gunnar, + To the benches gay-dight, + And the gladsome drinking. + + There drank the great folk + 'Mid the guileful one's silence, + Drank wine in their fair hall: + The Huns' wrath they feared + When Knefrud cried + In his cold voice, + As he sat on the high seat, + That man of the Southland: + + "Atli has sent me + Riding swift on his errands + On the bit-griping steed + Through dark woodways unbeaten, + To bid thee, King Gunnar, + Come to his fair bench + With helm well-adorned, + To the house of King Atli. + + "Shield shall ye have there + And spears ashen-shafted, + Helms ruddy with gold, + And hosts of the Huns; + Saddle-gear silver gilt, + Shirts red as blood, + The hedge of the warwife, + And horses bit-griping. + + "And he saith he will give you + Gnitaheath widespread, + And whistling spears + And prows well-gilded, + Might wealth + With the stead of Danpi, + And that noble wood + Men name the Murkwood." + + Then Gunnar turned head + And spake unto Hogni: + "What rede from thee, high one, + Since such things we hear? + No gold know I + On Gnitaheath, + That we for our parts + Have not portion as great. + + "Seven halls we have + Fulfilled of swords, + And hilts of gold + Each sword there has; + My horse is the best, + My blade is the keenest; + Fair my bow o'er the bench is, + Gleams my byrny with gold; + Brightest helm, brightest shield, + From Kiar's dwelling ere brought-- + Better all things I have + Than all things of the Huns." + + HOGNI SAID: + "What mind has our sister + That a ring she hath sent us + In weed of wolves clad? + Bids she not to be wary? + For a wolf's hair I found + The fair ring wreathed about; + Wolf beset shall the way be + If we wend on this errand." + + No sons whetted Gunnar, + Nor none of his kin, + Nor learned men nor wise men, + Nor such as were mighty. + Then spake Gunnar + E'en as a king should speak, + Glorious in mead-hall + From great heart and high: + + "Rise up now, Fiornir, + Forth down the benches + Let the gold-cups of great ones + Pass in hands of my good-men! + Well shall we drink wine, + Draughts dear to our hearts, + Though the last of all feasts + In our fair house this be! + + "For the wolves shall rule + O'er the wealth of the Niblungs, + With the pine-woods' wardens + In Gunnar perish: + And the black-felled bears + With fierce teeth shall bite + For the glee of the dog kind, + If again comes not Gunnar." + + Then good men never shamed, + Greeting aloud, + Led the great king of men + From the garth of his home; + And cried the fair son + Of Hogni the king: + "Fare happy, O Lords, + Whereso your hearts lead you!" + + Then the bold knights + Let their bit-griping steeds + Wend swift o'er the fells, + Tread the murk-wood unknown, + All the Hunwood was shaking + As the hardy ones fared there; + O'er the green meads they urged + Their steeds shy of the goad. + + Then Atli's land saw they; + Great towers and strong, + And the bold men of Bikki, + Aloft on the burg: + The Southland folks' hall + Set with benches about, + Dight with bucklers well bounden, + And bright white shining shields. + + There drank Atli, + The awful Hun king, + Wine in his fair hall; + Without were the warders, + Gunnar's folk to have heed of, + Lest they had fared thither + With the whistling spear + War to wake 'gainst the king. + + But first came their sister + As they came to the hall, + Both her brethren she met, + With beer little gladdened: + "Bewrayed art thou, Gunnar! + What dost thou great king + To deal war to the Huns? + Go thou swift from the hall! + + Better, brother, hadst thou + Fared here in thy byrny + Than with helm gaily dight + Looked on Atli's great house: + Them hadst sat then in saddle + Through days bright with the sun + Fight to awaken + And fair fields to redden: + + "O'er the folk fate makes pale + Should the Norn's tears have fallen, + The shield mays of the Huns + Should have known of all sorrow; + And King Atli himself + To worm-close should be brought; + But now is the worm-close + Kept but for thee." + + Then spake Gunnar + Great 'mid the people: + "Over-late sister + The Niblungs to summon; + A long way to seek + The helping of warriors, + The high lord unshamed, + From the hills of the Rhine!" + + .............. + + Seven Hogni beat down + With his sword sharp-grinded, + And the eighth man he thrust + Amidst of the fire. + Ever so shall famed warrior + Fight with his foemen, + As Hogni fought + For the hand of Gunnar. + + But on Gunnar they fell, + And set him in fetters, + And bound hard and fast + That friend of Burgundians; + Then the warrior they asked + If he would buy life, + But life with gold + That king of the Goths. + + Nobly spake Gunnar, + Great lord of the Niblungs; + "Hogni's bleeding heart first + Shall lie in mine hand, + Cut from the breast + Of the bold-riding lord, + With bitter-sharp knife + From the son of the king." + + With guile the great one + Would they beguile, + On the wailing thrall + Laid they hand unwares, + And cut the heart + From out of Hjalli, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it to Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler, + Little like the heart + Of Hogni the hardy: + As much as it trembleth + Laid on the trencher + By the half more it trembled + In the breast of him hidden." + + Then laughed Hogni + When they cut the heart from him, + From the crest-smith yet quick, + Little thought he to quail. + The hard acorn of thought + From the high king they took, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hogni the hardy, + Little like to the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler. + Howso little it quaketh + Laid here on the dish, + Yet far less it quaked + In the breast of him laid. + + "So far mayst thou bide + From men's eyen, O Atli, + As from that treasure + Thou shalt abide! + + "Behold in my heart + Is hidden for ever + That hoard of the Niblungs, + Now Hogni is dead. + Doubt threw me two ways + While the twain of us lived, + But all that is gone + Now I live on alone. + + "The great Rhine shall rule + O'er the hate-raising treasure, + That gold of the Niblungs, + The seed of the gods: + In the weltering water + Shall that wealth lie a-gleaming, + Or it shine on the hands + Of the children of Huns!" + + Then cried Atli, + King of the Hun-folk, + "Drive forth your wains now + The slave is fast bounden." + And straightly thence + The bit-shaking steeds + Drew the hoard-warden, + The war-god to his death. + + Atli the great king, + Rode upon Glaum, + With shields set round about, + And sharp thorns of battle: + Gudrun, bound by wedlock + To these, victory made gods of, + Held back her tears + As the hall she ran into. + + "Let it fare with thee, Atli, + E'en after thine oaths sworn + To Gunnar fell often; + Yea, oaths sworn of old time, + By the sun sloping southward, + By the high burg of Sigry, + By the fair bed of rest, + By the red ring of Ull!" + + Now a host of men + Cast the high king alive + Into a close + Crept o'er within + With most foul worms, + Fulfilled of all venom, + Ready grave to dig + In his doughty heart. + + Wrathful-hearted he smote + The harp with his hand, + Gunnar laid there alone; + And loud rang the strings.-- + In such wise ever + Should hardy ring-scatterer + Keep gold from all folk + In the garth of his foeman. + + Then Atli would wend + About his wide land, + On his steed brazen shod, + Back from the murder. + Din there was in the garth, + All thronged with the horses; + High the weapon-song rose + From men come from the heath. + + Out then went Gudrun, + 'Gainst Atli returning, + With a cup gilded over, + To greet the land's ruler; + "Come, then, and take it, + King glad in thine hall, + From Gudrun's hands, + For the hell-farers groan not!" + + Clashed the beakers of Atli, + Wine-laden on bench, + As in hall there a-gathered, + The Huns fell a-talking, + And the long-bearded eager ones + Entered therein, + From a murk den new-come, + From the murder of Gunnar. + + Then hastened the sweet-faced + Delight of the shield-folk, + Bright in the fair hall, + Wine to bear to them: + The dreadful woman + Gave dainties withal + To the lords pale with fate, + Laid strange word upon Atli: + + "The hearts of thy sons + Hast thou eaten, sword-dealer, + All bloody with death + And drenched with honey: + In most heavy mood + Brood o'er venison of men! + Drink rich draughts therewith, + Down the high benches send it! + + "Never callest thou now + From henceforth to thy knee + Fair Erp or fair Eiril, + Bright-faced with the drink; + Never seest thou them now + Amidmost the seat, + Scattering the gold, + Or shafting of spears; + Manes trimming duly, + Or driving steeds forth!" + + Din arose from the benches, + Dread song of men was there, + Noise 'mid the fair hangings, + As all Hun's children wept; + All saving Gudrun, + Who never gat greeting, + For her brethren bear-hardy + For her sweet sons and bright, + The young ones, the simple + Once gotten with Atli. + + ............... + + The seed of gold + Sowed the swan-bright woman, + Rings of red gold + She gave to the house-carls; + Fate let she wax, + Let the bright gold flow forth, + In naught spared that woman + The store-houses' wealth. + + Atli unaware + Was a-weary with drink; + No weapon had he, + No heeding of Gudrun-- + Ah, the pity would be better, + When in soft wise they twain + Would full often embrace + Before the great lords! + + To the bed with sword-point + Blood gave she to drink + With a hand fain of death, + And she let the dogs loose: + Then in from the hall-door-- + --Up waked the house-carls-- + Hot brands she cast, + Gat revenge for her brethren. + + To the flame gave she all + Who therein might be found; + Fell adown the old timbers, + Reeked all treasure-houses; + There the shield-mays were burnt, + Their lives' span brought to naught; + In the fierce fire sank down + All the stead of the Budlungs. + + Wide told of is this-- + Ne'er sithence in the world, + Thus fared bride clad in byrny + For her brothers' avenging; + For behold, this fair woman + To three kings of the people, + Hath brought very death + Or ever she died! + + + + +THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN. + +Gudrun went down unto the sea whenas she had slain Atli, and she cast +herself therein, for she was fain to end her life: but nowise might +she drown. She drave over the firths to the land of King Jonakr, and he +wedded her, and their sons were Sorli, and Erp, and Hamdir, and there +was Swanhild, Sigurd's daughter, nourished: and she was given to +Jormunrek the Mighty. Now Bikki was a man of his, and gave such counsel +to Randver, the king's son, as that he should take her; and with that +counsel were the young folk well content. + +Then Bikki told the king, and the king let hang Randver, but bade +Swanhild be trodden under horses' feet. But when Gudrun heard thereof, +she spake to her sons-- + + Words of strife heard I, + Huger than any, + Woeful words spoken, + Sprung from all sorrow, + When Gudrun fierce-hearted + With the grimmest of words + Whetter her sons + Unto the slaying. + + "Why are ye sitting here? + Why sleep ye life away? + Why doth it grieve you nought? + Glad words to speak, + Now when your sister-- + Young of years was she-- + Has Jormunrek trodden + With the treading of horses?-- + + "Black horses and white + In the highway of warriors; + Grey horses that know + The roads of the Goths.-- + + "Little like are ye grown + To that Gunnar of old days! + Nought are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your mood were in aught + As the mood of my brethren, + Or the hardy hearts + Of the Kings of the Huns!" + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted-- + "Little didst thou + Praise Hogni's doings, + When Sigurd woke + From out of sleep, + And the blue-white bed-gear + Upon thy bed + Grew red with man's blood-- + With the blood of thy mate! + + "Too baleful vengeance + Wroughtest thou for thy brethren + Most sore and evil + When thy sons thou slewedst, + Else all we together + On Jormunrek + Had wrought sore vengeance + For that our sister. + + "Come, bring forth quickly + The Hun kings' bright gear, + Since thou has urged us + Unto the sword-Thing!" + + Laughing went Gudrun + To the bower of good gear, + Kings' crested helms + From chests she drew, + And wide-wrought byrnies + Bore to her sons: + Then on their horses + Load laid the heroes. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted-- + "Never cometh again + His mother to see + The spear-god laid low + In the land of the Goths. + That one arvel mayst thou + For all of us drink, + For sister Swanhild, + And us thy sons." + + Greeted Gudrun + Giuki's daughter; + Sorrowing she went + In the forecourt to sit, + That she might tell, + With cheeks tear-furrowed, + Her weary wail + In many a wise. + + "Three fires I knew, + Three hearths I knew, + To three husbands' houses + Have I been carried; + And better than all + Had been Sigurd alone, + He whom my brethren + Brought to his bane. + + "Such sore grief as that + Methought never should be, + Yet more indeed + Was left for my torment + Then, when the great ones + Gave me to Atli. + + "My fair bright boys + I bade unto speech, + Nor yet might I win + Weregild for my bale, + Ere I had hewn off + Those Niblungs' heads. + + "To the sea-strand I went + With the Norns sorely wroth, + For I would thrust from me + The storm of their torment; + But the high billows + Would not drown, but bore me + Forth, till I stepped a-land + Longer to live. + + "Then I went a-bed-- + --Ah, better in the old days, + This was the third time!-- + To a king of the people; + Offspring I brought forth, + Props of a fair house, + Props of a fair house, + Jonakr's fair sons. + + "But around Swanhild + Bond-maidens sat, + Her, that of all mine + Most to my heart was; + Such was my Swanhild, + In my hall's midmost, + As is the sunbeam + Fair to beheld. + + "In gold I arrayed her, + And goodly raiment, + Or ever I gave her + To the folk of the Goths. + That was the hardest + Of my heavy woes, + When the bright hair,-- + O the bright hair of Swanhild!-- + In the mire was trodden + By the treading of horses. + + "This was the sorest, + When my love, my Sigurd, + Reft of glory + In his bed gat ending: + But this the grimmest + When glittering worms + Tore their way + Through the heart of Gunnar. + + "But this the keenest + When they cut to the quick + Of the hardy heart + Of the unfeared Hogni. + Of much of bale I mind me, + Of many griefs I mind me; + Why should I sit abiding + Yet more bale and more? + + "Thy coal-black horse, + O Sigurd, bridle, + The swift on the highway! + O let him speed hither! + Here sitteth no longer + Son or daughter, + More good gifts + To give to Gudrun! + + "Mindst thou not, Sigurd, + Of the speech betwixt us, + When on one bed + We both sat together, + O my great king-- + That thou wouldst come to me + E'en from the hall of Hell, + I to thee from the fair earth? + + "Pile high, O earls + The oaken pile, + Let it be the highest + That ever queen had! + Let the fire burn swift, + My breast with woe laden, + And thaw all my heart, + Hard, heavy with sorrow!" + + Now may all earls + Be bettered in mind, + May the grief of all maidens + Ever be minished, + For this tale of sorrow + So told to its ending. + + + + +THE LAY OF HAMDIR + + Great deeds of bale + In the garth began, + At the sad dawning + The tide of Elves' sorrow + When day is a-waxing + And man's grief awaketh, + And the sorrow of each one + The early day quickeneth. + + Not now, not now, + Nor yesterday, + But long ago + Has that day worn by, + That ancientest time, + The first time to tell of, + Then, whenas Gudrun, + Born of Giuki, + Whetter her sons + To Swanhild's avenging. + + "Your sister's name + Was naught but Swanhild, + Whom Jormunrek + With horses has trodden!-- + White horses and black + On the war-beaten way, + Grey horses that go + On the roads of the Goths. + + "All alone am I now + As in holt is the aspen; + As the fir-tree of boughs, + So of kin am I bare; + As bare of things longed for + As the willow of leaves + When the bough-breaking wind + The warm day endeth. + + "Few, sad, are ye left + O kings of my folk! + Yet alone living + Last shreds of my kin! + + "Ah, naught are ye grown + As that Gunnar of old days; + Naught are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your hearts were in aught + As the hearts of my brethren!" + + Then spake Hamdir + The high-hearted: + "Nought hadst thou to praise + The doings of Hogni, + When they woke up Sigurd + From out of slumber, + And in bed thou sat'st up + 'Mid the banes-men's laughter. + + "Then when thy bed=gear, + Blue-white, well woven + By art of craftsmen + All swam with thy king's blood; + The Sigurd died, + O'er his dead corpse thou sattest, + Not heeding aught gladsome, + Since Gunnar so willed it. + + "Great grief for Atli + Gatst thou by Erp's murder, + And the end of thine Eitil, + But worse grief for thyself. + Good to use sword + For the slaying of others + In such wise that its edge + Shall not turn on ourselves!" + + Then well spake Sorli + From a heart full of wisdom: + "No words will I + Make with my mother, + Though both ye twain + Need words belike-- + What askest thou, Gudrun, + To let thee go greeting? + + "Weep for thy brethren, + Weep for thy sweet sons, + And thy nighest kinsfolk + Laid by the fight-side! + Yea, and thou Gudrun, + May'st greet for us twain + Sitting fey on our steeds + Doomed in far lands to die." + + From the garth forth they went + With hearts full of fury, + Sorli and Hamdir, + The sons of Gudrun, + And they met on the way + The wise in all wiles: + "And thou little Erp, + What helping from thee?" + + He of alien womb + Spake out in such wise: + "Good help for my kin, + Such as foot gives to foot, + Or flesh-covered hand + Gives unto hand!" + + "What helping for foot + That help that foot giveth, + Or for flesh-covered hand + The helping of hand?" + + Then spake Erp + Yet once again + Mock spake the prince + As he sat on his steed: + "Fool's deed to show + The way to a dastard!" + "Bold beyond measure," + Quoth they, "is the base-born!" + + Out from the sheath + Drew they the sheath-steel, + And the glaives' edges played + For the pleasure of hell; + By the third part they minished + The might that they had, + Their young kin they let lie + A-cold on the earth. + + Then their fur-cloaks they shook + And bound fast their swords, + In webs goodly woven + Those great ones were clad; + Young they went o'er the fells + Where the dew was new-fallen + Swift, on steeds of the Huns, + Heavy vengeance to wreak. + + Forth stretched the ways, + And an ill way they found, + Yea, their sister's son (1) + Hanging slain upon tree-- + Wolf-trees by the wind made cold + At the town's westward + Loud with cranes' clatter-- + Ill abiding there long! + + Din in the king's hall + Of men merry with drink, + And none might hearken + The horses' tramping + Or ever the warders + Their great horn winded. + + Then men went forth + To Jormunrek + To tell of the heeding + Of men under helm: + "Give ye good counsel! + Great ones are come hither, + For the wrong of men mighty + Was the may to death trodden." + + "Loud Jormunrek laughed, + And laid hand to his beard, + Nor bade bring his byrny, + But with the wine fighting, + Shook his red locks, + On his white shield sat staring, + And in his hand + Swung the gold cup on high. + + "Sweet sight for me + Those twain to set eyes on, + Sorli and Hamdir, + Here in my hall! + Then with bowstrings + Would I bind them, + And hang the good Giukings + Aloft on the gallows!" + + .............. + + Then spake Hrothglod + From off the high steps, + Spake the slim-fingered + Unto her son,-- + --For a threat was cast forth + Of what ne'er should fall-- + "Shall two men alone + Two hundred Gothfolk + Bind or bear down + In the midst of their burg?" + + ............... + + Strife and din in the hall, + Cups smitten asunder + Men lay low in blood + From the breasts of Goths flowing. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted: + "Thou cravedst, O king, + From the coming of us, + The sons of one mother, + Amidmost thine hall-- + Look on these hands of thine, + Look on these feet of thine, + Cast by us, Jormunrek, + On to the flame!" + + Then cried aloud + The high Gods' kinsman (2) + Bold under byrny,-- + Roared he as bears roar; + "Stones to the stout ones + That the spears bite not, + Nor the edges of steel, + These sons of Jonakr!" + + .............. + + QUOTH SORLI: + "Bale, brother, wroughtst thou + By that bag's (3) opening, + Oft from that bag + Rede of bale cometh! + Heart hast thou, Hamdir, + If thou hadst heart's wisdom + Great lack in a man + Who lacks wisdom and lore!" + + HAMDIR SAID: + "Yes, off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold + Whom we slew by the way; + The far-famed through the world-- + Ah, the fares drave me on, + And the man war made holy, + There must I slay!" + + SORLI SAID: + "Unmeet we should do + As the doings of wolves are, + Raising wrong each 'gainst other + As the dogs of the Norns, + The greedy ones nourished + In waste steads of the world. + + In strong wise have we fought, + On Goths' corpses we stand, + Beat down by our edges, + E'en as ernes on the bough. + Great fame our might winneth, + Die we now, or to-morrow,-- + No man lives till eve + Whom the fates doom at morning." + At the hall's gable-end + Fell Sorli to earth, + But Hamdir lay low + At the back of the houses. + +Now this is called the Ancient Lay of Hamdir. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Randver, the son of their sister's husband. + (2) Odin, namely. + (3) "Bag", his mouth. + + + + +THE LAMENT OF ODDRUN. + +There was a king hight Heidrik, and his daughter was called Borgny, and +the name of her lover was Vilmund. Now she might nowise be made lighter +of a child she travailed with, before Oddrun, Atil's sister, came to +her,--she who had been the love of Gunnar, Giuki's son. But of their +speech together has this been sung: + + I have hear tell + In ancient tales + How a may there came + To Morna-land, + Because no man + On mould abiding + For Heidrik's daughter + Might win healing. + + All that heard Oddrun, + Atil's sister, + How that the damsel + Had heavy sickness, + So she led from stall + Her bridled steed, + And on the swart one + Laid the saddle. + + She made her horse wend + O'er smooth ways of earth, + Until to a high-built + Hall she came; + Then the saddle she had + From the hungry horse, + And her ways wended + In along the wide hall, + And this word first + Spake forth therewith: + + "What is most famed, + Afield in Hunland, + Or what may be + Blithest in Hunland?" + + QUOTH THE HANDMAID: + "Here lieth Borgny, + Borne down by trouble, + Thy sweet friend, O Oddrun, + See to her helping!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Who of the lords + Hath laid this grief on her, + Why is the anguish + Of Borgny so weary?" + + THE HANDMAID SAID: + "He is hight Vilmund, + Friend of hawk-bearers, + He wrapped the damsel + In the warm bed-gear + Five winters long + Without her father's wotting." + + No more than this + They spake methinks; + Kind sat she down + By the damsel's knee; + Mightily sand Oddrun, + Sharp piercing songs + By Borgny's side: + + Till a maid and a boy + Might tread on the world's ways, + Blithe babes and sweet + Of Hogni's bane: + Then the damsel forewearied + The word took up, + The first word of all + That had won from her: + + "So may help thee + All helpful things, + Fey and Freyia, + And all the fair Gods, + As thou hast thrust + This torment from me!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Yet no heart had I + For thy helping, + Since never wert thou + Worthy of helping, + But my word I held to, + That of old was spoken + When the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + That every soul + I would ever help." + + BORGNY SAID: + "Right mad art thou, Oddrun, + And reft of thy wits, + Whereas thou speakest + Hard words to me + Thy fellow ever + Upon the earth + As of brothers twain, + We had been born." + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Well I mind me yet, + What thou saidst that evening, + Whenas I bore forth + Fair drink for Gunnar; + Such a thing, saidst thou, + Should fall out never, + For any may + Save for me alone." + + Mind had the damsel + Of the weary day + Whenas the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + And she sat her down, + The sorrowful woman, + To tell of the bale, + And the heavy trouble. + + "Nourished was I + In the hall of kings-- + Most folk were glad-- + 'Mid the council of great ones: + In fair life lived I, + And the wealth of my father + For five winters only, + While yet he had life. + + "Such were the last words + That ever he spake, + The king forewearied, + Ere his ways he went; + For he bade folk give me + The gold red-gleaming, + And give me in Southlands + To the son of Grimhild. + + "But Brynhild he bade + To the helm to betake her, + And said that Death-chooser + She should become; + And that no better + Might ever be born + Into the world, + If fate would not spoil it. + + "Brynhild in bower + Sewed at her broidery, + Folk she had + And fair lands about her; + Earth lay a-sleeping, + Slept the heavens aloft + When Fafnir's-bane + The burg first saw. + + "Then was war waged + With the Welsh-wrought sword + And the burg all broken + That Brynhild owned; + Nor wore long space, + E'en as well might be, + Ere all those wiles + Full well she knew. + + "Hard and dreadful + Was the vengeance she drew down, + So that all we + Have woe enow. + Through all lands of the world + Shall that story fare forth + How she did her to death + For the death of Sigurd. + + "But therewithal Gunnar + The gold-scatterer + Did I fall to loving + And should have loved him. + Rings of red gold + Would they give to Atli, + Would give to my brother + Things goodly and great. + + "Yea, fifteen steads + Would they give for me, + And the load of Grani + To have as a gift; + But then spake Atli, + That such was his will, + Never gift to take + From the sons of Giuki. + + "But we in nowise + Might love withstand, + And mine head must I lay + On my love, the ring-breaker; + And many there were + Among my kin, + Who said that they + Had seen us together. + + "Then Atli said + That I surely never + Would fall to crime + Or shameful folly: + But now let no one + For any other, + That shame deny + Where love has dealing. + + "For Atli sent + His serving-folk + Wide through the murkwood + Proof to win of me, + And thither they came + Where they ne'er should have come, + Where one bed we twain + Had dight betwixt us. + + "To those men had we given + Rings of red gold, + Naught to tell + Thereof to Atli, + But straight they hastened + Home to the house, + And all the tale + To Atli told. + + 'Whereas from Gudrun + Well they hid it, + Though better by half + Had she have known it. + + ................ + + "Din was there to hear + Of the hoofs gold-shod, + When into the garth + Rode the sons of Giuki. + + "There from Hogni + The heart they cut, + But into the worm-close + Cast the other. + There the king, the wise-hearted, + Swept his harp-strings, + For the might king + Had ever mind + That I to his helping + Soon should come. + + "But now was I gone + Yet once again + Unto Geirmund, + Good feast to make; + Yet had I hearing, + E'en out from Hlesey, + How of sore trouble + The harp-strings sang. + + "So I bade the bondmaids + Be ready swiftly, + For I listed to save + The life of the king, + And we let our ship + Swim over the sound, + Till Atli's dwelling + We saw all clearly. + + Then came the wretch (1) + Crawling out, + E'en Atli's mother, + All sorrow upon her! + A grave gat her sting + In the heart of Gunnar, + So that no helping + Was left for my hero. + + "O gold-clad woman, + Full oft I wonder + How I my life + Still hold thereafter, + For methought I loved + That light in battle, + The swift with the sword, + As my very self. + + "Thou hast sat and hearkened + As I have told thee + Of many an ill-fate, + Mine and theirs-- + Each man liveth + E'en as he may live-- + Now hath gone forth + The greeting of Oddrun." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Atli's mother took the form of the only adder that was not + lulled to sleep by Gunnar's harp-playing, and who slew him. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga +Saga), by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS *** + +***** This file should be named 1152.txt or 1152.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/1152/ + +Produced by Douglas B. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) + With Excerpts from the Poetic Edda + +Author: Anonymous + +Posting Date: August 7, 2008 [EBook #1152] +Release Date: December, 1997 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS *** + + + + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings + + + + + +THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS, (VOLSUNGA SAGA) + +WITH EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA + +By Anonymous + + + +Originally written in Icelandic (Old Norse) in the thirteenth century +A.D., by an unknown hand. However, most of the material is based +substantially on previous works, some centuries older. A few of these +works have been preserved in the collection of Norse poetry known as the +"Poetic Edda". + +The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Story of +the Volsungs", translated by William Morris and Eirikr Magnusson (Walter +Scott Press, London, 1888). + +Douglas B. Killings + + +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +RECOMMENDED READING-- + +Anonymous: "Kudrun", Translated by Marion E. Gibbs & Sidney Johnson +(Garland Pub., New York, 1992). + +Anonymous: "Nibelungenlied", Translated by A.T. Hatto (Penguin Classics, +London, 1962). + +Saxo Grammaticus: "The First Nine Books of the Danish History", +Translated by Oliver Elton (London, 1894; Reissued by the Online +Medieval and Classical Library as E-Text OMACL #28, 1997). + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +It would seem fitting for a Northern folk, deriving the greater and +better part of their speech, laws, and customs from a Northern root, +that the North should be to them, if not a holy land, yet at least +a place more to be regarded than any part of the world beside; that +howsoever their knowledge widened of other men, the faith and deeds of +their forefathers would never lack interest for them, but would always +be kept in remembrance. One cause after another has, however, aided +in turning attention to classic men and lands at the cost of our own +history. Among battles, "every schoolboy" knows the story of Marathon +or Salamis, while it would be hard indeed to find one who did more than +recognise the name, if even that, of the great fights of Hafrsfirth or +Sticklestead. The language and history of Greece and Rome, their laws +and religions, have been always held part of the learning needful to an +educated man, but no trouble has been taken to make him familiar with +his own people or their tongue. Even that Englishman who knew Alfred, +Bede, Caedmon, as well as he knew Plato, Caesar, Cicero, or Pericles, +would be hard bestead were he asked about the great peoples from whom +we sprang; the warring of Harold Fairhair or Saint Olaf; the Viking +(1) kingdoms in these (the British) Western Isles; the settlement of +Iceland, or even of Normandy. The knowledge of all these things would +now be even smaller than it is among us were it not that there was one +land left where the olden learning found refuge and was kept in being. +In England, Germany, and the rest of Europe, what is left of the +traditions of pagan times has been altered in a thousand ways by foreign +influence, even as the peoples and their speech have been by the influx +of foreign blood; but Iceland held to the old tongue that was once the +universal speech of northern folk, and held also the great stores of +tale and poem that are slowly becoming once more the common heritage of +their descendants. The truth, care, and literary beauty of its records; +the varied and strong life shown alike in tale and history; and the +preservation of the old speech, character, and tradition--a people +placed apart as the Icelanders have been--combine to make valuable what +Iceland holds for us. Not before 1770, when Bishop Percy translated +Mallet's "Northern Antiquities", was anything known here of Icelandic, +or its literature. Only within the latter part of this century has it +been studied, and in the brief book-list at the end of this volume may +be seen the little that has been done as yet. It is, however, becoming +ever clearer, and to an increasing number, how supremely important is +Icelandic as a word-hoard to the English-speaking peoples, and that in +its legend, song, and story there is a very mine of noble and pleasant +beauty and high manhood. That which has been done, one may hope, is but +the beginning of a great new birth, that shall give back to our language +and literature all that heedlessness and ignorance bid fair for awhile +to destroy. + +The Scando-Gothic peoples who poured southward and westward over +Europe, to shake empires and found kingdoms, to meet Greek and Roman +in conflict, and levy tribute everywhere, had kept up their +constantly-recruited waves of incursion, until they had raised a barrier +of their own blood. It was their own kin, the sons of earlier +invaders, who stayed the landward march of the Northmen in the time of +Charlemagne. To the Southlands their road by land was henceforth closed. +Then begins the day of the Vikings, who, for two hundred years and more, +"held the world at ransom." Under many and brave leaders they first +of all came round the "Western Isles" (2) toward the end of the eighth +century; soon after they invaded Normandy, and harried the coasts of +France; gradually they lengthened their voyages until there was no shore +of the then known world upon which they were unseen or unfelt. A glance +at English history will show the large part of it they fill, and how +they took tribute from the Anglo-Saxons, who, by the way, were far +nearer kin to them than is usually thought. In Ireland, where the old +civilisation was falling to pieces, they founded kingdoms at Limerick +and Dublin among other places; (3) the last named, of which the first +king, Olaf the White, was traditionally descended of Sigurd the Volsung, +(4) endured even to the English invasion, when it was taken by men of +the same Viking blood a little altered. What effect they produced +upon the natives may be seen from the description given by the unknown +historian of the "Wars of the Gaedhil with the Gaill": "In a word, +although there were an hundred hard-steeled iron heads on one neck, +and an hundred sharp, ready, cool, never-rusting brazen tongues in each +head, and an hundred garrulous, loud, unceasing voices from each tongue, +they could not recount, or narrate, or enumerate, or tell what all the +Gaedhil suffered in common--both men and women, laity and clergy, +old and young, noble and ignoble--of hardship, and of injury, and of +oppression, in every house, from these valiant, wrathful, purely pagan +people. Even though great were this cruelty, oppression, and tyranny, +though numerous were the oft-victorious clans of the many-familied +Erinn; though numerous their kings, and their royal chiefs, and their +princes; though numerous their heroes and champions, and their brave +soldiers, their chiefs of valour and renown and deeds of arms; yet not +one of them was able to give relief, alleviation, or deliverance from +that oppression and tyranny, from the numbers and multitudes, and +the cruelty and the wrath of the brutal, ferocious, furious, untamed, +implacable hordes by whom that oppression was inflicted, because of the +excellence of their polished, ample, treble, heavy, trusty, glittering +corslets; and their hard, strong, valiant swords; and their well-riveted +long spears, and their ready, brilliant arms of valour besides; and +because of the greatness of their achievements and of their deeds, their +bravery, and their valour, their strength, and their venom, and their +ferocity, and because of the excess of their thirst and their hunger for +the brave, fruitful, nobly-inhabited, full of cataracts, rivers, bays, +pure, smooth-plained, sweet grassy land of Erinn"--(pp. 52-53). Some +part of this, however, must be abated, because the chronicler is +exalting the terror-striking enemy that he may still further exalt his +own people, the Dal Cais, who did so much under Brian Boroimhe to check +the inroads of the Northmen. When a book does (5) appear, which has +been announced these ten years past, we shall have more material for +the reconstruction of the life of those times than is now anywhere +accessible. Viking earldoms also were the Orkneys, Faroes, and +Shetlands. So late as 1171, in the reign of Henry II., the year after +Beckett's murder, Earl Sweyn Asleifsson of Orkney, who had long been the +terror of the western seas, "fared a sea-roving" and scoured the western +coast of England, Man, and the east of Ireland, but was killed in an +attack on his kinsmen of Dublin. He had used to go upon a regular plan +that may be taken as typical of the homely manner of most of his like +in their cruising: "Sweyn had in the spring hard work, and made them +lay down very much seed, and looked much after it himself. But when +that toil was ended, he fared away every spring on a viking-voyage, and +harried about among the southern isles and Ireland, and came home after +midsummer. That he called spring-viking. Then he was at home until the +corn-fields were reaped down, and the grain seen to and stored. Then +he fared away on a viking-voyage, and then he did not come home till the +winter was one month off, and that he called his autumn-viking." (6) + +Toward the end of the ninth century Harold Fairhair, either spurred +by the example of Charlemagne, or really prompted, as Snorri Sturluson +tells us, resolved to bring all Norway under him. As Snorri has it in +"Heimskringla": "King Harold sent his men to a girl hight Gyda.... The +king wanted her for his leman; for she was wondrous beautiful but of +high mood withal. Now when the messengers came there and gave their +message to her, she made answer that she would not throw herself away +even to take a king for her husband, who swayed no greater kingdom than +a few districts; 'And methinks,' said she, 'it is a marvel that no king +here in Norway will put all the land under him, after the fashion that +Gorm the Old did in Denmark, or Eric at Upsala.' The messengers deemed +this a dreadfully proud-spoken answer, and asked her what she thought +would come of such an one, for Harold was so mighty a man that his +asking was good enough for her. But although she had replied to their +saying otherwise than they would, they saw no likelihood, for this +while, of bearing her along with them against her will, so they made +ready to fare back again. When they were ready and the folk followed +them out, Gyda said to the messengers--'Now tell to King Harold these my +words:--I will only agree to be his lawful wife upon the condition that +he shall first, for sake of me, put under him the whole of Norway, so +that he may bear sway over that kingdom as freely and fully as King +Eric over the realm of Sweden, or King Gorm over Denmark; for only then, +methinks, can he be called king of a people.' Now his men came back to +King Harold, bringing him the words of the girl, and saying she was so +bold and heedless that she well deserved the king should send a greater +troop of people for her, and put her to some disgrace. Then answered the +king. 'This maid has not spoken or done so much amiss that she should +be punished, but the rather should she be thanked for her words. She has +reminded me,' said he, 'of somewhat that it seems wonderful I did not +think of before. And now,' added he, 'I make the solemn vow, and take +who made me and rules over all things, to witness that never shall I +clip or comb my hair until I have subdued all Norway with scatt, and +duties, and lordships; or, if not, have died in the seeking.' Guttorm +gave great thanks to the king for his oath, saying it was "royal work +fulfilling royal rede." The new and strange government that Harold tried +to enforce--nothing less than the feudal system in a rough guise --which +made those who had hitherto been their own men save at special times, +the king's men at all times, and laid freemen under tax, was withstood +as long as might be by the sturdy Norsemen. It was only by dint of hard +fighting that he slowly won his way, until at Hafrsfirth he finally +crushed all effective opposition. But the discontented, "and they were a +great multitude," fled oversea to the outlands, Iceland, the Faroes, the +Orkneys, and Ireland. The whole coast of Europe, even to Greece and the +shores of the Black Sea, the northern shores of Africa, and the western +part of Asia, felt the effects also. Rolf Pad-th'-hoof, son of Harold's +dear friend Rognvald, made an outlaw for a cattle-raid within the bounds +of the kingdom, betook himself to France, and, with his men, founded a +new people and a dynasty. + +Iceland had been known for a good many years, but its only dwellers had +been Irish Culdees, who sought that lonely land to pray in peace. Now, +however, both from Norway and the Western Isles settlers began to come +in. Aud, widow of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, came, bringing with +her many of mixed blood, for the Gaedhil (pronounced "Gael", Irish) and +the Gaill (pronounced "Gaul", strangers) not only fought furiously, but +made friends firmly, and often intermarried. Indeed, the Westmen were +among the first arrivals, and took the best parts of the island--on its +western shore, appropriately enough. After a time the Vikings who had +settled in the Isles so worried Harold and his kingdom, upon which they +swooped every other while, that he drew together a mighty force, and +fell upon them wheresoever he could find them, and followed them up with +fire and sword; and this he did twice, so that in those lands none could +abide but folk who were content to be his men, however lightly they +might hold their allegiance. Hence it was to Iceland that all turned +who held to the old ways, and for over sixty years from the first comer +there was a stream of hardy men pouring in, with their families and +their belongings, simple yeomen, great and warwise chieftains, rich +landowners, who had left their land "for the overbearing of King +Harold," as the "Landnamabok" (7) has it. "There also we shall escape +the troubling of kings and scoundrels", says the "Vatsdaelasaga". So +much of the best blood left Norway that the king tried to stay the leak +by fines and punishments, but in vain. + +As his ship neared the shore, the new-coming chief would leave it to +the gods as to where he settled. The hallowed pillars of the high seat, +which were carried away from his old abode, were thrown overboard, with +certain rites, and were let drive with wind and wave until they came +ashore. The piece of land which lay next the beach they were flung upon +was then viewed from the nearest hill-summit, and place of the homestead +picked out. Then the land was hallowed by being encircled with fire, +parcelled among the band, and marked out with boundary-signs; the houses +were built, the "town" or home-field walled in, a temple put up, and the +settlement soon assumed shape. In 1100 there were 4500 franklins, making +a population of about 50,000, fully three-fourths of whom had a strong +infusion of Celtic blood in them. The mode of life was, and is, rather +pastoral than aught else. In the 39,200 square miles of the island's +area there are now about 250 acres of cultivated land, and although +there has been much more in times past, the Icelanders have always been +forced to reckon upon flocks and herds as their chief resources, grain +of all kinds, even rye, only growing in a few favoured places, and very +rarely there; the hay, self-sown, being the only certain harvest. On +the coast fishing and fowling were of help, but nine-tenths of the folk +lived by their sheep and cattle. Potatoes, carrots, turnips, and several +kinds of cabbage have, however, been lately grown with success. They +produced their own food and clothing, and could export enough wool, +cloth, horn, dried fish, etc., as enabled them to obtain wood for +building, iron for tools, honey, wine, grain, etc, to the extent of +their simple needs. Life and work was lotted by the seasons and +their changes; outdoor work--fishing, herding, hay-making, and +fuel-getting--filling the long days of summer, while the long, dark +winter was used in weaving and a hundred indoor crafts. The climate is +not so bad as might be expected, seeing that the island touches the +polar circle, the mean temperature at Reykjavik being 39 degrees. + +The religion which the settlers took with them into Iceland--the +ethnic religion of the Norsefolk, which fought its last great fight at +Sticklestead, where Olaf Haraldsson lost his life and won the name of +Saint--was, like all religions, a compound of myths, those which had +survived from savage days, and those which expressed the various degrees +of a growing knowledge of life and better understanding of nature. Some +historians and commentators are still fond of the unscientific method of +taking a later religion, in this case christianity, and writing down all +apparently coincident parts of belief, as having been borrowed from the +christian teachings by the Norsefolk, while all that remain they lump +under some slighting head. Every folk has from the beginning of time +sought to explain the wonders of nature, and has, after its own fashion, +set forth the mysteries of life. The lowest savage, no less than his +more advanced brother, has a philosophy of the universe by which he +solves the world-problem to his own satisfaction, and seeks to reconcile +his conduct with his conception of the nature of things. Now, it is not +to be thought, save by "a priori" reasoners, that such a folk as the +Northmen--a mighty folk, far advanced in the arts of life, imaginative, +literary--should have had no further creed than the totemistic myths +of their primitive state; a state they have wholly left ere they enter +history. Judging from universal analogy, the religion of which record +remains to us was just what might be looked for at the particular stage +of advancement the Northmen had reached. Of course something may have +been gained from contact with other peoples--from the Greeks during the +long years in which the northern races pressed upon their frontier; from +the Irish during the existence of the western viking-kingdoms; but what +I particularly warn young students against is the constant effort of +a certain order of minds to wrest facts into agreement with their pet +theories of religion or what not. The whole tendency of the more modern +investigation shows that the period of myth-transmission is long over +ere history begins. The same confusion of different stages of +myth-making is to be found in the Greek religion, and indeed in those of +all peoples; similar conditions of mind produce similar practices, apart +from all borrowing of ideas and manners; in Greece we find snake-dances, +bear-dances, swimming with sacred pigs, leaping about in imitation of +wolves, dog-feasts, and offering of dogs' flesh to the gods--all of them +practices dating from crude savagery, mingled with ideas of exalted and +noble beauty, but none now, save a bigot, would think of accusing the +Greeks of having stolen all their higher beliefs. Even were some part of +the matter of their myths taken from others, yet the Norsemen have given +their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, and placed them upon a high +level that is all their own. (8) From the prose Edda the following +all too brief statement of the salient points of Norse belief is made +up:--"The first and eldest of gods is hight Allfather; he lives from +all ages, and rules over all his realm, and sways all things great and +small; he smithied heaven and earth, and the lift, and all that belongs +to them; what is most, he made man, and gave him a soul that shall live +and never perish; and all men that are right-minded shall live and be +with himself in Vingolf; but wicked men fare to Hell, and thence into +Niithell, that is beneath in the ninth world. Before the earth ''twas +the morning of time, when yet naught was, nor sand nor sea was +there, nor cooling streams. Earth was not found, nor Heaven above; a +Yawning-gap there was, but grass nowhere.' Many ages ere the earth was +shapen was Niflheim made, but first was that land in the southern sphere +hight Muspell, that burns and blazes, and may not be trodden by those +who are outlandish and have no heritage there. Surtr sits on the border +to guard the land; at the end of the world he will fare forth, and harry +and overcome all the gods and burn the world with fire. Ere the races +were yet mingled, or the folk of men grew, Yawning-gap, which looked +towards the north parts, was filled with thick and heavy ice and +rime, and everywhere within were fog and gusts; but the south side +of Yawning-gap lightened by the sparks and gledes that flew out of +Muspell-heim; as cold arose out of Niflheim and all things grim, so was +that part that looked towards Muspell hot and bright; but Yawning-gap +was as light as windless air, and when the blast of heat met the rime, +so that it melted and dropped and quickened; from those life-drops +there was shaped the likeness of a man, and he was named Ymir; he was +bad, and all his kind; and so it is said, when he slept he fell into a +sweat; then waxed under his left hand a man and a woman, and one of his +feet got a son with the other, and thence cometh the Hrimthursar. The +next thing when the rime dropped was that the cow hight Audhumla was +made of it; but four milk-rivers ran out of her teats, and she fed Ymir; +she licked rime-stones that were salt, and the first day there came at +even, out of the stones, a man's hair, the second day a man's head, the +third day all the man was there. He is named Turi; he was fair of +face, great and mighty; he gat a son named Bor, who took to him Besla, +daughter of Bolthorn, the giant, and they had three sons, Odin, Vili, +and Ve. Bor's sons slew Ymir the giant, but when he fell there ran so +much blood out of his wounds that all the kin of the Hrimthursar were +drowned, save Hvergelmir and his household, who got away in a boat. Then +Bor's sons took Ymir and bore him into the midst of Yawning-gap, and +made of him the earth; of his blood seas and waters, of his flesh earth +was made; they set the earth fast, and laid the sea round about it in +a ring without; of his bones were made rocks; stones and pebbles of his +teeth and jaws and the bones that were broken; they took his skull and +made the lift thereof, and set it up over the earth with four sides, and +under each corner they set dwarfs, and they took his brain and cast it +aloft, and made clouds. They took the sparks and gledes that went loose, +and had been cast out of Muspellheim, and set them in the lift to give +light; they gave resting-places to all fires, and set some in the lift; +some fared free under it, and they gave them a place and shaped their +goings. A wondrous great smithying, and deftly done. The earth is +fashioned round without, and there beyond, round about it lies the deep +sea; and on that sea-strand the gods gave land for an abode to the giant +kind, but within on the earth made they a burg round the world against +restless giants, and for this burg reared they the brows of Ymir, and +called the burg Midgard. The gods went along the sea-strand and found +two stocks, and shaped out of them men; the first gave soul and life, +the second wit and will to move, the third face, hearing, speech, and +eyesight. They gave them clothing and names; the man Ask and the woman +Embla; thence was mankind begotten, to whom an abode was given under +Midgard. Then next Bor's sons made them a burg in the midst of the +world, that is called Asgard; there abode the gods and their kind, and +wrought thence many tidings and feats, both on earth and in the Sky. +Odin, who is hight Allfather, for that he is the father of all men and +sat there in his high seat, seeing over the whole world and each man's +doings, and knew all things that he saw. His wife was called Frigg, and +their offspring is the Asa-stock, who dwell in Asgard and the realms +about it, and all that stock are known to be gods. The daughter and wife +of Odin was Earth, and of her he got Thor, him followed strength and +sturdiness, thereby quells he all things quick; the strongest of all +gods and men, he has also three things of great price, the hammer +Miolnir, the best of strength belts, and when he girds that about him +waxes his god strength one-half, and his iron gloves that he may not +miss for holding his hammer's haft. Balidr is Odin's second son, and +of him it is good to say, he is fair and: bright in face, and hair, and +body, and him all praise; he is wise and fair-spoken and mild, and that +nature is in him none may withstand his doom. Tyr is daring and best of +mood; there is a saw that he is tyrstrong who is before other men and +never yields; he is also so wise that it is said he is tyrlearned who +is wise. Bragi is famous for wisdom, and best in tongue-wit, and cunning +speech, and song-craft. 'And many other are there, good and great; and +one, Loki, fair of face, ill in temper and fickle of mood, is called the +backbiter of the Asa, and speaker of evil redes and shame of all gods +and men; he has above all that craft called sleight, and cheats all +in all things. Among the children of Loki are Fenris-wolf and +Midgards-worm; the second lies about all the world in the deep sea, +holding his tail in his teeth, though some say Thor has slain him; but +Fenris-wolf is bound until the doom of the gods, when gods and men shall +come to an end, and earth and heaven be burnt, when he shall slay Odin. +After this the earth shoots up from the sea, and it is green and fair, +and the fields bear unsown, and gods and men shall be alive again, and +sit in fair halls, and talk of old tales and the tidings that +happened aforetime. The head-seat, or holiest-stead, of the gods is at +Yggdrasil's ash, which is of all trees best and biggest; its boughs are +spread over the whole world and stand above heaven; one root of the ash +is in heaven, and under the root is the right holy spring; there hold +the gods doom every day; the second root is with the Hrimthursar, +where before was Yawning-gap; under that root is Mimir's spring, where +knowledge and wit lie hidden; thither came Allfather and begged a drink, +but got it not before he left his eye in pledge; the third root is +over Niflheim, and the worm Nidhogg gnaws the root beneath. A fair hall +stands under the ash by the spring, and out of it come three maidens, +Norns, named Has-been, Being, Will-be, who shape the lives of men; there +are beside other Norns, who come to every man that is born to shape his +life, and some of these are good and some evil. In the boughs of the +ash sits an eagle, wise in much, and between his eyes sits the hawk +Vedrfalnir; the squirrel Ratatoskr runs up and down along the ash, +bearing words of hate betwixt the eagle and the worm. Those Norns who +abide by the holy spring draw from it every day water, and take the clay +that lies around the well, and sprinkle them up over the ash for that +its boughs should not wither or rot. All those men that have fallen in +the fight, and borne wounds and toil unto death, from the beginning of +the world, are come to Odin in Valhall; a very great throng is there, +and many more shall yet come; the flesh of the boar Soerfmnir is sodden +for them every day, and he is whole again at even; and the mead they +drink that flows from the teats of the she-goat Heidhrun. The meat Odin +has on his board he gives to his two wolves, Geri and Freki, and he +needs no meat, wine is to him both meat and drink; ravens twain sit on +his shoulders, and say into his ear all tidings that they see and hear; +they are called Huginn and Muninn (mind and memory); them sends he at +dawn to fly over the whole world, and they come back at breakfast-tide, +thereby becomes he wise in many tidings, and for this men call him +Raven's-god. Every day, when they have clothed them, the heroes put on +their arms and go out into the yard and fight and fell each other; that +is their play, and when it looks toward mealtime, then ride they home to +Valhall and sit down to drink. For murderers and men forsworn is a great +hall, and a bad, and the doors look northward; it is altogether wrought +of adder-backs like a wattled house, but the worms' heads turn into the +house, and blow venom, so that rivers of venom run along the hall, and +in those rivers must such men wade forever." There was no priest-class; +every chief was priest for his own folk, offered sacrifice, performed +ceremonies, and so on. + +In politics the homestead, with its franklin-owner, was the unit; the +"thing", or hundred-moot, the primal organisation, and the "godord", +or chieftainship, its tie. The chief who had led a band of kinsmen and +followers to the new country, taken possession of land, and shared it +among them, became their head-ruler and priest at home, speaker and +president of their Thing, and their representative in any dealings with +neighbouring chiefs and their clients. He was not a feudal lord, for +any franklin could change his "godord" as he liked, and the right +of "judgment by peers" was in full use. At first there was no higher +organisation than the local thing. A central thing, and a speaker to +speak a single "law" for the whole island, was instituted in 929, and +afterwards the island was divided in four quarters, each with a court, +under the Al-thing. Society was divided only into two classes of men, +the free and unfree, though political power was in the hands of the +franklins alone; "godi" and thrall ate the same food, spoke the same +tongue, wore much the same clothes, and were nearly alike in life and +habits. Among the free men there was equality in all but wealth and the +social standing that cannot be separated therefrom. The thrall was a +serf rather than a slave, and could own a house, etc., of his own. In a +generation or so the freeman or landless retainer, if he got a homestead +of his own, was the peer of the highest in the land. During the tenth +century Greenland was colonised from Iceland, and by end of the same +century christianity was introduced into Iceland, but made at first +little difference in arrangements of society. In the thirteenth century +disputes over the power and jurisdiction of the clergy led, with other +matters, to civil war, ending in submission to Norway, and the breaking +down of all native great houses. Although life under the commonwealth +had been rough and irregular, it had been free and varied, breeding +heroes and men of mark; but the "law and order" now brought in left +all on a dead level of peasant proprietorship, without room for hope +or opening for ambition. An alien governor ruled the island, which +was divided under him into local counties, administered by sheriffs +appointed by the king of Norway. The Al-thing was replaced by a royal +court, the local work of the local things was taken by a subordinate +of the sheriff, and things, quarter-courts, trial by jury, and all the +rest, were swept away to make room for these "improvements", which have +lasted with few changes into this century. In 1380 the island passed +under the rule of Denmark, and so continues. (9) During the fifteenth +century the English trade was the only link between Iceland and the +outer world; the Danish government weakened that link as much as it +could, and sought to shut in and monopolise everything Icelandic; under +the deadening effect of such rule it is no marvel that everything found +a lower level, and many things went out of existence for lack of use. +In the sixteenth century there is little to record but the Reformation, +which did little good, if any, and the ravages of English, Gascon, and +Algerine pirates who made havoc on the coast; (10) they appear toward +the close of the century and disappear early in the seventeenth. In the +eighteenth century small-pox, sheep disease, famine, and the terrible +eruptions of 1765 and 1783, follow one another swiftly and with terrible +effect. At the beginning of the present century Iceland, however, +began to shake off the stupor her ill-hap had brought upon her, and +as European attention had been drawn to her, she was listened to. +Newspapers, periodicals, and a Useful Knowledge Society were started; +then came free trade, and the "home-rule" struggle, which met with +partial success in 1874, and is still being carried on. A colony, Gimli, +in far-off Canada, has been formed of Icelandic emigrants, and large +numbers have left their mother-land; but there are many co-operative +societies organised now, which it is hoped will be able to so revive the +old resources of the island as to make provision for the old population +and ways of life. There is now again a representative central council, +but very many of the old rights and powers have not been yet restored. +The condition of society is peculiar absence of towns, social equality, +no abject poverty or great wealth, rarity of crime, making it easy for +the whole country to be administered as a co-operative commonwealth +without the great and striking changes rendered necessary by more +complicated systems. + +Iceland has always borne a high name for learning and literature; on +both sides of their descent people inherited special poetic power. Some +of older Eddaic fragments attest the great reach and deep overpowering +strength of imagination possessed by their Norse ancestors; and +they themselves had been quickened by a new leaven. During the first +generations of the "land-taking" a great school of poetry which had +arisen among the Norsemen of the Western Isles was brought by them to +Iceland. (11) The poems then produced are quite beyond parallel with +those of any Teutonic language for centuries after their date, which lay +between the beginning of the ninth and the end of the tenth centuries. +Through the Greenland colony also came two, or perhaps more, great poems +of this western school. This school grew out of the stress and storm of +the viking life, with its wild adventure and varied commerce, and the +close contact with an artistic and inventive folk, possessed of high +culture and great learning. The infusion of Celtic blood, however +slight it may have been, had also something to do with the swift intense +feeling and rapidity of passion of the earlier Icelandic poets. They +are hot-headed and hot-hearted, warm, impulsive, quick to quarrel or +to love, faithful, brave; ready with sword or song to battle with all +comers, or to seek adventure wheresoever it might be found. They leave +Iceland young, and wander at their will to different courts of northern +Europe, where they are always held in high honour. Gunnlaug Worm-tongue +(12) in 1004 came to England, after being in Norway, as the saga +says:--"Now sail Gunnlaug and his fellows into the English main, and +come at autumntide south to London Bridge, where they hauled ashore +their ship. Now, at that time King Ethelred, the son of Edgar, ruled +over England, and was a good lord; the winter he sat in London. But +in those days there was the same tongue in England as in Norway and +Denmark; but the tongues changed when William the Bastard won England, +for thenceforward French went current there, for he was of French kin. +Gunnlaug went presently to the king, and greeted him well and worthily. +The king asked him from what land he came, and Gunnlaug told him all as +it was. 'But,' said he, 'I have come to meet thee, lord, for that I have +made a song on thee, and I would that it might please thee to hearken to +that song.' The king said it should be so, and Gunnlaug gave forth the +song well and proudly, and this is the burden thereof-- + + "'As God are all folk fearing + The fire lord King of England, + Kin of all kings and all folk, + To Ethelred the head bow.' + +The king thanked him for the song, and gave him as song-reward a scarlet +cloak lined with the costliest of furs, and golden-broidered down to +the hem; and made him his man; and Gunnlaug was with him all the winter, +and was well accounted of. + +The poems in this volume are part of the wonderful fragments which +are all that remain of ancient Scandinavian poetry. Every piece which +survives has been garnered by Vigfusson and Powell in the volumes of +their "Corpus", where those who seek may find. A long and illustrious +line of poets kept the old traditions, down even to within a couple +centuries, but the earlier great harvest of song was never again +equalled. After christianity had entered Iceland, and that, with other +causes, had quieted men's lives, although the poetry which stood to the +folk in lieu of music did not die away, it lost the exclusive hold it +had upon men's minds. In a time not so stirring, when emotion was not so +fervent or so swift, when there was less to quicken the blood, the story +that had before found no fit expression but in verse, could stretch its +limbs, as it were, and be told in prose. Something of Irish influence +is again felt in this new departure and that marvellous new growth, the +saga, that came from it, but is little more than an influence. Every +people find some one means of expression which more than all else suits +their mood or their powers, and this the Icelanders found in the saga. +This was the life of a hero told in prose, but in set form, after a +regular fashion that unconsciously complied with all epical requirements +but that of verse--simple plot, events in order of time, set phrases for +even the shifting emotion or changeful fortune of a fight or storm, +and careful avoidance of digression, comment, or putting forward by +the narrator of ought but the theme he has in hand; he himself is never +seen. Something in the perfection of the saga is to be traced to the +long winter's evenings, when the whole household, gathered together at +their spinning, weaving, and so on, would listen to one of their number +who told anew some old story of adventure or achievement. In very truth +the saga is a prose epic, and marked by every quality an epic should +possess. Growing up while the deeds of dead heroes were fresh in memory, +most often recited before the sharers in such deeds, the saga, in its +pure form, never goes from what is truth to its teller. Where the saga, +as this one of the Volsungs is founded upon the debris of songs and +poems, even then very old, tales of mythological heroes, of men quite +removed from the personal knowledge of the narrator, yet the story is +so inwound with the tradition of his race, is so much a part of his +thought-life, that every actor in it has for him a real existence. At +the feast or gathering, or by the fireside, as men made nets and women +spun, these tales were told over; in their frequent repetition by men +who believed them, though incident or sequence underwent no change, +they would become closer knit, more coherent, and each an organic whole. +Gradually they would take a regular and accepted form, which would ease +the strain upon the reciter's memory and leave his mind free to adorn +the story with fair devices, that again gave help in the making it +easier to remember, and thus aided in its preservation. After a couple +of generations had rounded and polished the sagas by their telling and +retelling, they were written down for the most part between 1141 and +1220, and so much was their form impressed upon the mind of the folk, +that when learned and literary works appeared, they were written in the +same style; hence we have histories alike of kingdoms, or families, or +miracles, lives of saints, kings, or bishops in saga-form, as well as +subjects that seem at first sight even less hopeful. All sagas that have +yet appeared in English may be found in the book-list at end of this +volume, but they are not a tithe of those that remain. + +Of all the stories kept in being by the saga-tellers and left for our +delight, there is none that so epitomises human experience; has within +the same space so much of nature and of life; so fully the temper and +genius of the Northern folk, as that of the Volsungs and Niblungs, which +has in varied shapes entered into the literature of many lands. In +the beginning there is no doubt that the story belonged to the common +ancestral folk of all the Teutonic of Scando-Gothic peoples in the +earliest days of their wanderings. Whether they came from the Hindu +Kush, or originated in Northern Europe, brought it with them from Asia, +or evolved it among the mountains and rivers it has taken for scenery, +none know nor can; but each branch of their descendants has it in one +form or another, and as the Icelanders were the very crown and flower of +the northern folk, so also the story which is the peculiar heritage of +that folk received in their hands its highest expression and most noble +form. The oldest shape in which we have it is in the Eddaic poems, some +of which date from unnumbered generations before the time to which most +of them are usually ascribed, the time of the viking-kingdoms in the +Western Isles. In these poems the only historical name is that of +Attila, the great Hun leader, who filled so large a part of the +imagination of the people whose power he had broken. There is no doubt +that, in the days when the kingdoms of the Scando-Goths reached from the +North Cape to the Caspian, that some earlier great king performed his +part; but, after the striking career of Attila, he became the recognised +type of a powerful foreign potentate. All the other actors are +mythic-heroic. Of the Eddaic songs only fragments now remain, but +ere they perished there arose from them a saga, that now given to the +readers of this. The so-called Anglo-Saxons brought part of the story to +England in "Beowulf"; in which also appear some incidents that are again +given in the Icelandic saga of "Grettir the Strong". Most widely known +is the form taken by the story in the hands of an unknown medieval +German poet, who, from the broken ballads then surviving wrote the +"Nibelungenlied" or more properly "Nibelungen Not" ("The Need of the +Niblungs"). In this the characters are all renamed, some being more +or less historical actors in mid-European history, as Theodoric of the +East-Goths, for instance. The whole of the earlier part of the story has +disappeared, and though Siegfried (Sigurd) has slain a dragon, there is +nothing to connect it with the fate that follows the treasure; Andvari, +the Volsungs, Fafnir, and Regin are all forgotten; the mythological +features have become faint, and the general air of the whole is that of +medieval romance. The swoard Gram is replaced by Balmung, and the Helm +of Awing by the Tarn-cap--the former with no gain, the latter with great +loss. The curse of Andvari, which in the saga is grimly real, working +itself out with slow, sure steps that no power of god or man can turn +aside, in the medieval poem is but a mere scenic effect, a strain of +mystery and magic, that runs through the changes of the story with +much added picturesqueness, but that has no obvious relation to the +working-out of the plot, or fulfilment of their destiny by the different +characters. Brynhild loses a great deal, and is a poor creature when +compared with herself in the saga; Grimhild and her fateful drink have +gone; Gudrun (Chriemhild) is much more complex, but not more tragic; +one new character, Rudiger, appears as the type of chivalry; but Sigurd +(Siegfred) the central figure, though he has lost by the omission of so +much of his life, is, as before, the embodiment of all the virtues that +were dear to northern hearts. Brave, strong, generous, dignified, and +utterly truthful, he moves amid a tangle of tragic events, overmastered +by a mighty fate, and in life or death is still a hero without stain or +flaw. It is no wonder that he survives to this day in the national songs +of the Faroe Islands and in the folk-ballads of Denmark; that his legend +should have been mingled with northern history through Ragnar Lodbrog, +or southern through Attila and Theodoric; that it should have inspired +William Morris in producing the one great English epic of the century; +(13) and Richard Wagner in the mightiest among his music-dramas. Of the +story as told in the saga there is no need here to speak, for to read +it, as may be done a few pages farther on, is that not better than to +read about it? But it may be urged upon those that are pleased and moved +by the passion and power, the strength and deep truth of it, to find out +more than they now know of the folk among whom it grew, and the land in +which they dwelt. In so doing they will come to see how needful are +a few lessons from the healthy life and speech of those days, to be +applied in the bettering of our own. + +H. HALLIDAY SPARLING. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Viking (Ice. "Vikingr"; "vik", a bay or creek, "ingr", + belonging to, (or men of) freebooters. + (2) "West over the Sea" is the word for the British Isles. + (3) See Todd (J. H.). "War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill". + (4) He was son of Ingiald, son of Thora, daughter of Sigurd + Snake-I'-th'-eye, son of Ragnar Lodbrok by Aslaug, daughter + of Sigurd by Brynhild. The genealogy is, doubtless, quite + mythical. + (5) A Collection of Sagas and other Historical Documents + relating to the Settlements and Descents of the Northmen on + the British Isles. Ed., G. W. Dasent, D.C.L, and Gudbrand + Vigfusson, M.A. "In the Press. Longmans, London. 8vo. + (6) "Orkneyinga Saga". + (7) Landtaking-book--"landnam", landtaking, from "at nema + land", hence also the early settlers were called + "landnamsmenn". + (8) To all interested in the subject of comparative mythology, + Andrew Lang's two admirable books, "Custom and Myth" (1884, + 8vo) and "Myth, Ritual, and Religion" (2 vols., crown 8vo, + 1887), both published by Longmans, London, may be warmly + recommended. + (9) Iceland was granted full independence from Denmark in 1944. + --DBK. + (10) These pirates are always appearing about the same time in + English State papers as plundering along the coasts of the + British Isles, especially Ireland. + (11) For all the old Scandinavian poetry extant in Icelandic, see + "Corpus Poeticum Borealis" of Vigfusson and Powell. + (12) Snake-tongue--so called from his biting satire. + (13) "Sigurd the Volsung", which seems to have become all but + forgotten in this century.--DBK. + + + + +TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. + +In offering to the reader this translation of the most complete and +dramatic form of the great Epic of the North, we lay no claim to special +critical insight, nor do we care to deal at all with vexed questions, +but are content to abide by existing authorities, doing our utmost to +make our rendering close and accurate, and, if it might be so, at the +same time, not over prosaic: it is to the lover of poetry and nature, +rather than to the student, that we appeal to enjoy and wonder at this +great work, now for the first time, strange to say, translated into +English: this must be our excuse for speaking here, as briefly as may +be, of things that will seem to the student over well known to be worth +mentioning, but which may give some ease to the general reader who comes +across our book. + +The prose of the "Volsunga Saga" was composed probably some time in the +twelfth century, from floating traditions no doubt; from songs which, +now lost, were then known, at least in fragments, to the Sagaman; +and finally from songs, which, written down about his time, are still +existing: the greater part of these last the reader will find in this +book, some inserted amongst the prose text by the original story-teller, +and some by the present translators, and the remainder in the latter +part of the book, put together as nearly as may be in the order of the +story, and forming a metrical version of the greater portion of it. + +These Songs from the Elder Edda we will now briefly compare with the +prose of the Volsung Story, premising that these are the only metrical +sources existing of those from which the Sagaman told his tale. + +Except for the short snatch on p. 24 (1) of our translation, nothing is +now left of these till we come to the episode of Helgi Hundings-bane, +Sigurd's half-brother; there are two songs left relating to this, from +which the prose is put together; to a certain extent they cover the same +ground; but the latter half of the second is, wisely as we think, left +untouched by the Sagaman, as its interest is of itself too great not to +encumber the progress of the main story; for the sake of its wonderful +beauty, however, we could not refrain from rendering it, and it will be +found first among the metrical translations that form the second part of +this book. + +Of the next part of the Saga, the deaths of Sinfjotli and Sigmund, and +the journey of Queen Hjordis to the court of King Alf, there is no trace +left of any metrical origin; but we meet the Edda once more where Regin +tells the tale of his kin to Sigurd, and where Sigurd defeats and slays +the sons of Hunding: this lay is known as the "Lay of Regin". + +The short chap. xvi. is abbreviated from a long poem called the +"Prophecy of Gripir" (the Grifir of the Saga), where the whole story +to come is told with some detail, and which certainly, if drawn out at +length into the prose, would have forestalled the interest of the tale. + +In the slaying of the Dragon the Saga adheres very closely to the "Lay +of Fafnir"; for the insertion of the song of the birds to Sigurd the +present translators are responsible. + +Then comes the waking of Brynhild, and her wise redes to Sigurd, taken +from the Lay of Sigrdrifa, the greater part of which, in its metrical +form, is inserted by the Sagaman into his prose; but the stanza relating +Brynhild's awaking we have inserted into the text; the latter part, +omitted in the prose, we have translated for the second part of our +book. + +Of Sigurd at Hlymdale, of Gudrun's dream, the magic potion of Grimhild, +the wedding of Sigurd consequent on that potion; of the wooing of +Brynhild for Gunnar, her marriage to him, of the quarrel of the Queens, +the brooding grief and wrath of Brynhild, and the interview of Sigurd +with her--of all this, the most dramatic and best-considered parts of +the tale, there is now no more left that retains its metrical form than +the few snatches preserved by the Sagaman, though many of the incidents +are alluded to in other poems. + +Chap. xxx. is met by the poem called the "Short Lay of Sigurd", +which, fragmentary apparently at the beginning, gives us something of +Brynhild's awakening wrath and jealousy, the slaying of Sigurd, and the +death of Brynhild herself; this poem we have translated entire. + +The Fragments of the "Lay of Brynhild" are what is left of a poem partly +covering the same ground as this last, but giving a different account +of Sigurd's slaying; it is very incomplete, though the Sagaman has drawn +some incidents from it; the reader will find it translated in our second +part. + +But before the death of the heroine we have inserted entire into the +text as chap. xxxi. the "First Lay of Gudrun", the most lyrical, the +most complete, and the most beautiful of all the Eddaic poems; a +poem that any age or language might count among its most precious +possessions. + +From this point to the end of the Saga it keeps closely to the Songs of +Edda; in chap. xxxii. the Sagaman has rendered into prose the "Ancient +Lay of Gudrun", except for the beginning, which gives again another +account of the death of Sigurd: this lay also we have translated. + +The grand poem, called the "Hell-ride of Brynhild", is not represented +directly by anything in the prose except that the Sagaman has supplied +from it a link or two wanting in the "Lay of Sigrdrifa"; it will be +found translated in our second part. + +The betrayal and slaughter of the Giukings or Niblungs, and the fearful +end of Atli and his sons, and court, are recounted in two lays, called +the "Lays of Atli"; the longest of these, the "Greenland Lay of Atli", +is followed closely by the Sagaman; the Shorter one we have translated. + +The end of Gudrun, of her daughter by Sigurd and of her sons by her last +husband Jonakr, treated of in the last four chapters of the Saga, are +very grandly and poetically given in the songs called the "Whetting of +Gudrun", and the "Lay of Hamdir", which are also among our translations. + +These are all the songs of the Edda which the Sagaman has dealt with; +but one other, the "Lament of Oddrun", we have translated on account of +its intrinsic merit. + +As to the literary quality of this work we in say much, but we think we +may well trust the reader of poetic insight to break through whatever +entanglement of strange manners or unused element may at first trouble +him, and to meet the nature and beauty with which it is filled: we +cannot doubt that such a reader will be intensely touched by finding, +amidst all its wildness and remoteness, such a startling realism, +such subtilty, such close sympathy with all the passions that may move +himself to-day. + +In conclusion, we must again say how strange it seems to us, that this +Volsung Tale, which is in fact an unversified poem, should never before +been translated into English. For this is the Great Story of the +North, which should be to all our race what the Tale of Troy was to the +Greeks--to all our race first, and afterwards, when the change of the +world has made our race nothing more than a name of what has been--a +story too--then should it be to those that come after us no less than +the Tale of Troy has been to us. + +WILLIAM MORRIS and EIRIKR MAGNUSSON. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Chapter viii.--DBK. + + + + +THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS. + + + +CHAPTER I. Of Sigi, the Son of Odin. + +Here begins the tale, and tells of a man who was named Sigi, and called +of men the son of Odin; another man withal is told of in the tale, hight +Skadi, a great man and mighty of his hands; yet was Sigi the mightier +and the higher of kin, according to the speech of men of that time. +Now Skadi had a thrall with whom the story must deal somewhat, Bredi by +name, who was called after that work which he had to do; in prowess and +might of hand he was equal to men who were held more worthy, yea, and +better than some thereof. + +Now it is to be told that, on a time, Sigi fared to the hunting of the +deer, and the thrall with him; and they hunted deer day-long till the +evening; and when they gathered together their prey in the evening, lo, +greater and more by far was that which Bredi had slain than Sigi's prey; +and this thing he much misliked, and he said that great wonder it was +that a very thrall should out-do him in the hunting of deer: so he +fell on him and slew him, and buried the body of him thereafter in a +snow-drift. + +Then he went home at evening tide and says that Bredi had ridden away +from him into the wild-wood. "Soon was he out of my sight," he says, +"and naught more I wot of him." + +Skadi misdoubted the tale of Sigi, and deemed that this was a guile of +his, and that he would have slain Bredi. So he sent men to seek for him, +and to such an end came their seeking, that they found him in a certain +snow-drift; then said Skadi, that men should call that snow-drift +Bredi's Drift from henceforth; and thereafter have folk followed, so +that in such wise they call every drift that is right great. + +Thus it is well seen that Sigi has slain the thrall and murdered him; so +he is given forth to be a wolf in holy places, (1) and may no more abide +in the land with his father; therewith Odin bare him fellowship from the +land, so long a way, that right long it was, and made no stay till he +brought him to certain war-ships. So Sigi falls to lying out a-warring +with the strength that his father gave him or ever they parted; and +happy was he in his warring, and ever prevailed, till he brought +it about that he won by his wars land and lordship at the last; and +thereupon he took to him a noble wife, and became a great and mighty +king, and ruled over the land of the Huns, and was the greatest of +warriors. He had a son by his wife, who was called Refit, who grew up in +his father's house, and soon became great of growth, and shapely. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Wolf in holy places," a man put out of the pale of society + for crimes, an outlaw. + + + +CHAPTER II. Of the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son +of Sigi. + +Now Sigi grew old, and had many to envy him, so that at last those +turned against him whom he trusted most; yea, even the brothers of his +wife; for these fell on him at his unwariest, when there were few +with him to withstand them, and brought so many against him, that they +prevailed against him, and there fell Sigi and all his folk with him. +But Rerir, his son, was not in this trouble, and he brought together so +mighty a strength of his friends and the great men of the land, that +he got to himself both the lands and kingdom of Sigi his father; and so +now, when he deems that the feet under him stand firm in his rule, then +he calls to mind that which he had against his mother's brothers, who +had slain his father. So the king gathers together a mighty army, and +therewith falls on his kinsmen, deeming that if he made their kinship +of small account, yet none the less they had first wrought evil against +him. So he wrought his will herein, in that he departed not from strife +before he had slain all his father's banesmen, though dreadful the deed +seemed in every wise. So now he gets land, lordship, and fee, and is +become a mightier man than his father before him. + +Much wealth won in war gat Rerir to himself, and wedded a wife withal, +such as he deemed meet for him, and long they lived together, but had +no child to take the heritage after them; and ill-content they both were +with that, and prayed the Gods with heart and soul that they might get +them a child. And so it is said that Odin hears their prayer, and Freyia +no less hearkens wherewith they prayed unto her: so she, never lacking +for all good counsel, calls to her her casket-bearing may, (1) the +daughter of Hrimnir the giant, and sets an apple in her hand, and bids +her bring it to the king. She took the apple, and did on her the gear of +a crow, and went flying till she came whereas the king sat on a mound, +and there she let the apple fall into the lap of the king; but he took +the apple and deemed he knew whereto it would avail; so he goes home +from the mound to his own folk, and came to the queen, and some deal of +that apple she ate. + +So, as the tale tells, the queen soon knew that she big with child, but +a long time wore or ever she might give birth to the child: so it befell +that the king must needs go to the wars, after the custom of kings, that +he may keep his own land in peace: and in this journey it came to pass +that Rerir fell sick and got his death, being minded to go home to Odin, +a thing much desired of many folk in those days. + +Now no otherwise it goes with the queen's sickness than heretofore, nor +may she be the lighter of her child, and six winters wore away with the +sickness still heavy on her; so that at the last she feels that she may +not live long; wherefore now she bade cut the child from out of her; and +it was done even as she bade; a man-child was it, and great of growth +from his birth, as might well be; and they say that the youngling kissed +his mother or ever she died; but to him is a name given, and he is +called Volsung; and he was king over Hunland in the room of his father. +From his early years he was big and strong, and full of daring in all +manly deeds and trials, and he became the greatest of warriors, and of +good hap in all the battles of his warfaring. + +Now when he was fully come to man's estate, Hrimnir the giant sends to +him Ljod his daughter; she of whom the tale told, that she brought the +apple to Rerir, Volsung's father. So Volsung weds her withal; and long +they abode together with good hap and great love. They had ten sons and +one daughter, and their eldest son was hight Sigmund, and their daughter +Signy; and these two were twins, and in all wise the foremost and the +fairest of the children of Volsung the king, and mighty, as all his seed +was; even as has been long told from ancient days, and in tales of long +ago, with the greatest fame of all men, how that the Volsungs have been +great men and high-minded and far above the most of men both in cunning +and in prowess and all things high and mighty. + +So says the story that king Volsung let build a noble hall in such a +wise, that a big oak-tree stood therein, and that the limbs of the tree +blossomed fair out over the roof of the hall, while below stood the +trunk within it, and the said trunk did men call Branstock. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) May (A.S. "maeg"), a maid. + + + +CHAPTER III. Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the +Branstock. + +There was a king called Siggeir, who ruled over Gothland, a mighty king +and of many folk; he went to meet Volsung, the king, and prayed him for +Signy his daughter to wife; and the king took his talk well, and his +sons withal, but she was loth thereto, yet she bade her father rule in +this as in all other things that concerned her, so the king took such +rede (1) that he gave her to him, and she was betrothed to King Siggeir; +and for the fulfilling of the feast and the wedding, was King Siggeir +to come to the house of King Volsung. The king got ready the feast +according to his best might, and when all things were ready, came the +king's guests and King Siggeir withal at the day appointed, and many a +man of great account had Siggeir with him. + +The tale tells that great fires were made endlong the hall, and the +great tree aforesaid stood midmost thereof, withal folk say that, whenas +men sat by the fires in the evening, a certain man came into the hall +unknown of aspect to all men; and suchlike array he had, that over him +was a spotted cloak, and he was bare-foot, and had linen-breeches knit +tight even unto the bone, and he had a sword in his hand as he went up +to the Branstock, and a slouched hat upon his head: huge he was, and +seeming-ancient, and one-eyed. (2) So he drew his sword and smote it +into the tree-trunk so that it sank in up to the hilts; and all held +back from greeting the man. Then he took up the word, and said-- + +"Whoso draweth this sword from this stock, shall have the same as a gift +from me, and shall find in good sooth that never bare he better sword in +hand than is this." + +Therewith out went the old man from the hall, and none knew who he was +or whither he went. + +Now men stand up, and none would fain be the last to lay hand to the +sword, for they deemed that he would have the best of it who might first +touch it; so all the noblest went thereto first, and then the others, +one after other; but none who came thereto might avail to pull it out, +for in nowise would it come away howsoever they tugged at it; but now up +comes Sigmund, King Volsung's son, and sets hand to the sword, and pulls +it from the stock, even as if it lay loose before him; so good that +weapon seemed to all, that none thought he had seen such a sword before, +and Siggeir would fain buy it of him at thrice its weight of gold, but +Sigmund said-- + +"Thou mightest have taken the sword no less than I from there whereas it +stood, if it had been thy lot to bear it; but now, since it has first of +all fallen into my hand, never shalt thou have it, though thou biddest +therefor all the gold thou hast." + +King Siggeir grew wroth at these words, and deemed Sigmund had answered +him scornfully, but whereas was a wary man and a double-dealing, he +made as if he heeded this matter in nowise, yet that same evening he +thought how he might reward it, as was well seen afterwards. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Rede (A.S. raed), counsel, advice, a tale or prophecy. + (2) The man is Odin, who is always so represented, because he + gave his eye as a pledge for a draught from the fountain of + Mimir, the source of all wisdom. + + + +CHAPTER IV. How King Siggeir wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his +son to Gothland. + +Now it is to be told that Siggeir goes to bed by Signy that night, and +the next morning the weather was fair; then says King Siggeir that he +will not bide, lest the wind should wax, or the sea grow impassable; +nor is it said that Volsung or his sons letted him herein, and that the +less, because they saw that he was fain to get him gone from the feast. +But now says Signy to her father-- + +"I have no will to go away with Seggeir, neither does my heart smile +upon him, and I wot, by my fore-knowledge, and from the fetch (1) of our +kin, that from this counsel will great evil fall on us if this wedding +be not speedily undone." + +"Speak in no such wise, daughter!" said he, "for great shame will it be +to him, yea, and to us also, to break troth with him, he being sackless; +(2) and in naught may we trust him, and no friendship shall we have of +him, if these matters are broken off; but he will pay us back in as evil +wise as he may; for that alone is seemly, to hold truly to troth given." + +So King Siggeir got ready for home, and before he went from the feast he +bade King Volsung, his father-in-las, come see him in Gothland, and all +his sons with him whenas three months should be overpast, and to bring +such following with him, as he would have, and as he deemed meet for his +honour; and thereby will Siggeir the king pay back for the shortcomings +of the wedding-feast, in that he would abide thereat but one night only, +a thing not according to the wont of men. So King Volsung gave word to +come on the day named, and the kinsmen-in-law parted, and Siggeir went +home with his wife. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Fetch; wraith, or familiar spirit. + (2) Sackless (A.S. "sacu", Icel. "sok".) blameless. + + + +CHAPTER V. Of the Slaying of King Volsung. + +Now tells the tale of King Volsung and his sons that they go at the time +appointed to Gothland at the bidding of King Siggeir, and put off from +the land in three ships, all well manned, and have a fair voyage, and +made Gothland late of an evening tide. + +But that same night came Signy and called her father and brothers to a +privy talk, and told them what she deemed King Siggeir was minded to do, +and how that he had drawn together an army no man may meet. "And," says +she, "he is minded to do guilefully by you; wherefore I bid you get +ye gone back again to your own land, and gather together the mightiest +power ye may, and then come back hither and avenge you; neither go ye +now to your undoing, for ye shall surely fail not to fall by his wiles +if ye turn not on him even as I bid you." + +Then spake Volsung the king, "All people and nations shall tell of the +word I spake, yet being unborn, wherein I vowed a vow that I would flee +in fear from neither fire nor the sword; even so have I done hitherto, +and shall I depart therefrom now I am old? Yea withal never shall the +maidens mock these my sons at the games, and cry out at them that they +fear death; once alone must all men need die, and from that season shall +none escape; so my rede is that we flee nowhither, but do the work of +our hands in as manly wise as we may; a hundred fights have I fought +and whiles I had more, and whiles I had less, and yet even had I the +victory, nor shall it ever be heard tell of me that I fled away or +prayed for peace." + +Then Signy wept right sore, and prayed that she might not go back to +King Siggeir, but King Volsung answered-- + +"Thou shalt surely go back to thine husband, and abide with him, +howsoever it fares with us." + +So Signy went home, and they abode there that night but in the morning, +as soon as it was day, Volsung bade his men arise and go aland and make +them ready for battle; so they went aland, all of them all-armed, and +had not long to wait before Siggeir fell on them with all his army, and +the fiercest fight there was betwixt them; and Siggeir cried on his men +to the onset all he might; and so the tale tells that King Volsung and +his sons went eight times right through Siggeir's folk that day, smiting +and hewing on either hand, but when they would do so even once again, +King Volsung fell amidst his folk and all his men withal, saving his ten +sons, for mightier was the power against them than they might withstand. + +But now are all his sons taken, and laid in bonds and led away; and +Signy was ware withal that her father was slain, and her brothers taken +and doomed to death, that she called King Siggeir apart to talk with +her, and said-- + +"This will I pray of thee, that thou let not slay my brothers hastily, +but let them be set awhile in the stocks, for home to me comes the saw +that says, "Sweet to eye while seen": but longer life I pray not for +them, because I wot well that my prayer will not avail me." + +Then answered Siggeir + +"Surely thou art mad and witless, praying thus for more bale for thy +brothers than their present slaying; yet this will I grant thee, for the +better it likes me the more they must bear, and the longer their pain is +or ever death come to them." + +Now he let it be done even as she prayed, and a mighty beam was brought +and set on the feet of those ten brethren in a certain place of the +wild-wood, and there they sit day-long until night; but at midnight, as +they sat in the stocks, there came on them a she-wolf from out the wood; +old she was, and both great and evil of aspect; and the first thing she +did was to bite one of those brethren till he died, and then she ate him +up withal, and went on her way. + +But the next morning Signy sent a man to the brethren, even one whom she +most trusted, to wot of the tidings; and when he came back he told her +that one of them was dead, and great and grievous she deemed it, if they +should all fare in like wise, and yet naught might she avail them. + +Soon is the tale told thereof: nine nights together came the she-wolf +at midnight, and each night slew and ate up one of the brethren, until +all were dead, save Sigmund only; so now, before the tenth night came, +Signy sent that trusty man to Sigmund, her brother, and gave honey into +his hand, bidding him do it over Sigmund's face, and set a little deal +of it in his mouth; so he went to Sigmund and did as he was bidden, and +then came home again; and so the next night came the she-wolf according +to her wont, and would slay him and eat him even as his brothers; but +now she sniffs the breeze from him, whereas he was anointed with the +honey, and licks his face all over with her tongue, and then thrusts +her tongue into the mouth of him. No fear he had thereof, but caught +the she-wolf's tongue betwixt his teeth, and so hard she started back +thereat, and pulled herself away so mightily, setting her feet against +the stock that all was riven asunder; but he ever held so fast that the +tongue came away by the roots, and thereof she had her bane. + +But some men say that this same she-wolf was the mother of King +Siggeir, who had turned herself into this likeness by troll's lore and +witchcraft. + + + +CHAPTER VI. Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to +Sigmund. + +Now whenas Sigmund is loosed and the stocks are broken, he dwells in the +woods and holds himself there; but Signy sends yet again to wot of the +tidings, whether Sigmund were alive or no; but when those who were sent +came to him, he told them all as it had betid, and how things had gone +betwixt him and the wolf; so they went home and tell Signy the tidings; +but she goes and finds her brother, and they take counsel in such wise +as to make a house underground in the wild-wood; and so things go on a +while, Signy hiding him there, and sending him such things as he needed; +but King Siggeir deemed that all the Volsungs were dead. + +Now Siggeir had two sons by his wife, whereof it is told that when the +eldest was ten winters old, Signy sends him to Sigmund, so that he might +give him help, if he would in any wise strive to avenge his father; +so the youngling goes to the wood, and comes late in evening-tide to +Sigmund's earth-house; and Sigmund welcomed him in seemly fashion, and +said that he should make ready their bread; "But I," said he, "will go +seek firewood." + +Therewith he gives the meal-bag into his hands while he himself went to +fetch firing; but when he came back the youngling had done naught at the +bread-making. Then asks Sigmund if the bread be ready-- + +Says the youngling, "I durst not set hand to the meal sack, because +somewhat quick lay in the meal." + +Now Sigmund deemed he wotted that the lad was of no such heart as that +he would be fain to have him for his fellow; and when he met his sister, +Sigmund said that he had come no nigher to the aid of a man though the +youngling were with him. + +Then said Signy, "Take him and kill him then; for why should such an one +live longer?" and even so he did. + +So this winter wears, and the next winter Signy sent her next son to +Sigmund; and there is no need to make a long tale thereof, for in like +wise went all things, and he slew the child by the counsel of Signy. + + + +CHAPTER VII. Of the Birth of Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund. + +So on a tide it befell as Signy sat in her bower, that there came to her +a witch-wife exceeding cunning, and Signy talked with her in such wise, +"Fain am I," says she, "that we should change semblances together." + +She says, "Even as thou wilt then." + +And so by her wiles she brought it about that they changed semblances, +and now the witch-wife sits in Signy's place according to her rede, and +goes to bed by the king that night, and he knows not that he has other +than Signy beside him. + +But the tale tells of Signy, that she fared to the earthhouse of her +brother, and prayed him give her harbouring for the night; "For I have +gone astray abroad in the woods, and know not whither I am going." + +So he said she might abide, and that he would not refuse harbour to one +lone woman, deeming that she would scarce pay back his good cheer by +tale-bearing: so she came into the house, and they sat down to meat, +and his eyes were often on her, and a goodly and fair woman she seemed +to him; but when they are full, then he says to her, that he is right +fain that they should have but one bed that night; she nowise turned +away therefrom, and so for three nights together he laid her in bed by +him. + +Thereafter she fared home, and found the witch-wife and bade her change +semblances again, and she did so. + +Now as time wears, Signy brings forth a man-child, who was named +Sinfjotli, and when he grew up he was both big and strong, and fair of +face, and much like unto the kin of the Volsungs, and he was hardly yet +ten winters old when she sent him to Sigmund's earth-house; but this +trial she had made of her other sons or ever she had sent them to +Sigmund, that she had sewed gloves on to their hands through flesh and +skin, and they had borne it ill and cried out thereat; and this she now +did to Sinfjotli, and he changed countenance in nowise thereat. Then she +flayed off the kirtle so that the skin came off with the sleeves, and +said that this would be torment enough for him; but he said-- + +"Full little would Volsung have felt such a smart this." + +So the lad came to Sigmund, and Sigmund bade him knead their meal up, +while he goes to fetch firing; so he gave him the meal-sack, and then +went after the wood, and by then he came back had Sinfjotli made an end +of his baking. Then asked Sigmund if he had found nothing in the meal. + +"I misdoubted me that there was something quick in the meal when I first +fell to kneading of it, but I have kneaded it all up together, both the +meal and that which was therein, whatsoever it was." + +Then Sigmund laughed out, he said-- + +"Naught wilt thou eat of this bread to-night, for the most deadly of +worms (1) hast thou kneaded up therewith." + +Now Sigmund was so mighty a man that he might eat venom and have no hurt +therefrom; but Sinfjotli might abide whatso venom came on the outside of +him, but might neither eat nor drink thereof. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Serpents. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. The Death of King Siggeir and of Stigny. + +The tale tells that Sigmund thought Sinfjotli over young to help him to +his revenge, and will first of all harden him with manly deeds; so in +summer-tide they fare wide through the woods and slay men for their +wealth; Sigmund deems him to take much after the kin of the Volsungs, +though he thinks that he is Siggeir's son, and deems him to have the +evil heart of his father, with the might and daring of the Volsungs; +withal he must needs think him in no wise a kinsome man, for full oft +would he bring Sigmund's wrongs to his memory, and prick him on to slay +King Siggeir. + +Now on a time as they fare abroad in the wood for the getting of wealth, +they find a certain house, and two men with great gold rings asleep +therein: now these twain were spell-bound skin-changers, (1) and +wolf-skins were hanging up over them in the house; and every tenth +day might they come out of those skins; and they were kings' sons: so +Sigmund and Sinfjofli do the wolf-skins on them, and then might they +nowise come out of them, though forsooth the same nature went with them +as heretofore; they howled as wolves howl but both knew the meaning of +that howling; they lay out in the wild-wood, and each went his way; and +a word they made betwixt them, that they should risk the onset of seven +men, but no more, and that he who was first to be set on should howl in +wolfish wise: "Let us not depart from this," says Sigmund, "for thou art +young and over-bold, and men will deem the quarry good, when they take +thee." + +Now each goes his way, and when they were parted, Sigmund meets certain +men, and gives forth a wolf's howl; and when Sinfjotli heard it, he went +straightway thereto, and slew them all, and once more they parted. But +ere Sinfjotli has fared long through the woods, eleven men meet him, +and he wrought in such wise that he slew them all, and was awearied +therewith, and crawls under an oak, and there takes his rest. Then came +Sigmund thither, and said-- + +"Why didst thou not call on me?" + +Sinfjotli said, "I was loth to call for thy help for the slaying of +eleven men." + +Then Sigmund rushed at him so hard that he staggered and fell, and +Sigmund bit him in the throat. Now that day they might not come out of +their wolf-skins: but Sigmund lays the other on his back, and bears +him home to the house, and cursed the wolf-gears and gave them to the +trolls. Now on a day he saw where two weasels went and how that one bit +the other in the throat, and then ran straightway into the thicket, and +took up a leaf and laid in on the wound, and thereon his fellow sprang +up quite and clean whole; so Sigmund went out and saw a raven flying +with a blade of that same herb to him; so he took it and drew it over +Sinfjotli's hurt, and he straightway sprang up as whole as though he had +never been hurt. There after they went home to their earth-house, and +abode there till the time came for them to put off the wolf-shapes; then +they burnt them up with fire, and prayed that no more hurt might come +to any one from them; but in that uncouth guise they wrought many famous +deeds in the kingdom and lordship of King Siggeir. + +Now when Sinfjotli was come to man's estate, Sigmund deemed he had tried +him fully, and or ever a long time has gone by he turns his mind to the +avenging of his father; if so it may be brought about; so on a certain +day the twain get them gone from their earth-house, and come to the +abode of King Siggeir late in the evening, and go into the porch before +the hall, wherein were tuns of ale, and there they lie hid: now the +queen is ware of them, where they are, and is fain to meet them; and +when they met they took counsel and were of one mind that Volsung should +be revenged that same night. + +Now Signy and the king had two children of tender age, who played with +a golden toy on the floor, and bowled it along the pavement of the hall, +running along with it; but therewith a golden ring from off it trundles +away into the place where Sigmund and Sinfjotli lay, and off runs the +little one to search for the same, and beholds withal where two men axe +sitting, big and grimly to look on, with overhanging helms and bright +white byrnies; (2) so he runs up the hall to his father, and tells him +of the sight he has seen, and thereat the king misdoubts of some guile +abiding him; but Signy heard their speech, and arose and took both the +children, and went out into the porch to them and said-- + +"Lo ye! These younglings have bewrayed you; come now therefore and slay +them!" + +Sigmund says, "Never will I slay thy children for telling of where I lay +hid." + +But Sinfjotli made little enow of it, but drew his sword and slew them +both, and cast them into the hall at King Biggeir's feet. + +Then up stood the king and cried on his men to take those who had lain +privily in the porch through the night. So they ran thither and would +lay hands on them, but they stood on their defence well and manly, and +long he remembered it who was the nighest to them; but in the end they +were borne down by many men and taken, and bonds were set upon them, and +they were cast into fetters wherein they sit night long. + +Then the king ponders what longest and worst of deaths he shall mete out +to them; and when morning came he let make a great barrow of stones and +turf; and when it was done, let set a great flat stone midmost inside +thereof, so that one edge was aloft, the other alow; and so great it was +that it went from wall to wall, so that none might pass it. + +Now he bids folk take Sigmund and Sinfjotli and set them in the barrow, +on either side of the stone, for the worse for them he deemed it, that +they might hear each the other's speech, and yet that neither might pass +one to the other. But now, while they were covering in the barrow with +the turf-slips, thither came Signy, bearing straw with her, and cast it +down to Sinfjotli, and bade the thralls hide this thing from the king; +they said yea thereto, and therewithal was the barrow closed in. + +But when night fell, Sinfjotli said to Sigmund, "Belike we shall scarce +need meat for a while, for here has the queen cast swine's flesh into +the barrow, and wrapped it round about on the outer side with straw." + +Therewith he handles the flesh and finds that therein was thrust +Sigmund's sword; and he knew it by the hilts as mirk as it might be in +the barrow, and tells Sigmund thereof, and of that were they both fain +enow. + +Now Sinfjotli drave the point of the sword up into the big stone, and +drew it hard along, and the sword bit on the stone. With that Sigmund +caught the sword by the point, and in this wise they sawed the stone +between them, and let not or all the sawing was done that need be done, +even as the song sings: + + "Sinfjotli sawed + And Sigmund sawed, + Atwain with main + The stone was done." + +Now are they both together loose in the barrow, and soon they cut both +through stone and through iron, and bring themselves out thereof. Then +they go home to the hall, whenas all men slept there, and bear wood to +the hall, and lay fire therein; and withal the folk therein are waked by +the smoke, and by the hall burning over their heads. + +Then the king cries out, "Who kindled this fire, I burn withal?" + +"Here am I," says Sigmund, "with Sinfjotli, my sister's son; and we are +minded that thou shalt wot well that all the Volsungs are not yet dead." + +Then he bade his sister come out, and take all good things at his hands, +and great honour, and fair atonement in that wise, for all her griefs. + +But she answered, "Take heed now, and consider, if I have kept King +Siggeir in memory, and his slaying of Volsung the king! I let slay both +my children, whom I deemed worthless for the revenging of our father, +and I went into the wood to thee in a witch-wife's shape; and now +behold, Sinfjotli is the son of thee and of me both! And therefore has +he this so great hardihood and fierceness, in that he is the son both of +Volsung's son and Volsung's daughter; and for this, and for naught else, +have I so wrought, that Siggeir might get his bane at last; and all +these things have I done that vengeance might fall on him, and that I +too might not live long; and merrily now will I die with King Siggeir, +though I was naught merry to wed him." + +Therewith she kissed Sigmund her brother, and Sinfjotli, and went back +again into the fire, and there she died with King Siggeir and all his +good men. + +But the two kinsmen gathered together folk and ships, and Sigmund went +back to his father's land, and drave away thence the king, who had set +himself down there in the room of king Volsung. + +So Sigmund became a mighty King and far-famed, wise and high-minded: he +had to wife one named Borghild, and two sons they had between them, one +named Helgi and the other Hamund; and when Helgi was born, Norns came to +him, (3) and spake over him, and said that he should be in time to come +the most renowned of all kings. Even therewith was Sigmund come home +from the wars, and so therewith he gives him the name of Helgi, and +these matters as tokens thereof, Land of Rings, Sun-litten Hill and +Sharp-shearing Sword, and withal prayed that he might grow of great +fame, and like unto the kin of the Volsungs. + +And so it was that he grew up high-minded, and well beloved, and above +all other men in all prowess; and the story tells that he went to the +wars when he was fifteen winters old. Helgi was lord and ruler over the +army, but Sinfjotli was gotten to be his fellow herein; the twain bare +sway thereover. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Skin-changers" were universally believed in once, in + Iceland no less than elsewhere, as see Ari in several places + of his history, especially the episode of Dufthach and + Storwolf o' Whale. Men possessing the power of becoming + wolves at intervals, in the present case compelled so to + become, wer-wolves or "loupsgarou", find large place in + medieval story, but were equally well-known in classic + times. Belief in them still lingers in parts of Europe + where wolves are to be found. Herodotus tells of the Neuri, + who assumed once a year the shape of wolves; Pliny says that + one of the family of Antaeus, chosen by lot annually, became + a wolf, and so remained for nine years; Giraldus Cambrensis + will have it that Irishmen may become wolves; and Nennius + asserts point-blank that "the descendants of wolves are + still in Ossory;" they retransform themselves into wolves + when they bite. Apuleius, Petronius, and Lucian have + similar stories. The Emperor Sigismund convoked a council + of theologians in the fifteenth century who decided that + wer-wolves did exist. + (2) Byrny (A.S. "byrne"), corslet, cuirass. + (3) "Norns came to him." Nornir are the fates of the northern + mythology. They are three--"Urd", the past; "Verdandi", + the present; and "Skuld", the future. They sit beside the + fountain of Urd ("Urdarbrienur"), which is below one of the + roots of "Yggdrasil", the world-tree, which tree their + office it is to nourish by sprinkling it with the water of + the fountain. + + + +CHAPTER IX. How Helgi, the son of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his +Realm, and wedded Sigurn. + +Now the tale tells that Helgi in his warring met a king hight Hunding, +a mighty king, and lord of many men and many lands; they fell to battle +together, and Helgi went forth mightily, and such was the end of that +fight that Helgi had the victory, but King Hunding fell and many of his +men with him; but Helgi is deemed to have grown greatly in fame because +he had slain so mighty a king. + +Then the sons of Hunding draw together a great army to avenge their +father. Hard was the fight betwixt them; but Helgi goes through the +folk of those brothers unto their banner, and there slays these sons +of Hunding, Alf and Eyolf, Herward and Hagbard, and wins there a great +victory. + +Now as Helgi fared from the fight he met a many women right fair and +worthy to look on, who rode in exceeding noble array; but one far +excelled them all; then Helgi asked them the name of that their lady and +queen, and she named herself Sigrun, and said she was daughter of King +Hogni. + +Then said Helgi, "Fare home with us: good welcome shall ye have!" + +Then said the king's daughter, "Other work lies before us than to drink +with thee." + +"Yea, and what work, king's daughter?" said Helgi. + +She answers, "King Hogni has promised me to Hodbrod, the son of King +Granmar, but I have vowed a vow that I will have him to my husband no +more than if he were a crow's son and not a king's; and yet will the +thing come to pass, but and if thou standest in the way thereof and +goest against him with an army, and takest me away withal; for verily +with no king would I rather bide on bolster than with thee." + +"Be of good cheer, king's daughter," says he, "for certes he and I shall +try the matter, or ever thou be given to him; yea, we shall behold which +may prevail against the other; and hereto I pledge my life." + +Thereafter, Helgi sent men with money in their hand to summon his folk +to him, and all his power is called together to Red-Berg: and there +Helgi abode till such time as a great company came to him from Hedinsey; +and therewithal came mighty power from Norvi Sound aboard great and fair +ships. Then King Helgi called to him the captain of his ships, who was +hight Leif, and asked him if he had told over the tale of his army. + +"A thing not easy to tell, lord," says he, "on the ships that came out +of Norvi Sound are twelve thousand men, and otherwhere are half as many +again." + +Then bade King Helgi turn into the firth, called Varin's firth, and they +did so: but now there fell on them so fierce a storm and so huge a sea, +that the beat of the waves on board and bow was to hearken to like as +the clashing together of high hills broken. + +But Helgi bade men fear naught, nor take in any sail, but rather hoist +every rag higher than heretofore; but little did they miss of foundering +or ever they made land; then came Sigrun, daughter of King Hogni, down +on to the beach with a great army, and turned them away thence to a good +haven called Gnipalund; but the landsmen see what has befallen and +come down to the sea-shore. The brother of King Hodbrod, lord of a land +called Swarin's Cairn, cried out to them, and asked them who was captain +over that mighty army. Then up stands Sinfjotli, with a helm on his +head, bright shining as glass, and a byrny as white as snow; a spear +in his hand, and thereon a banner of renown, and a gold-rimmed shield +hanging before him; and well he knew with what words to speak to kings-- + +"Go thou and say, when thou hast made an end of feeding thy swine and +thy dogs, and when thou beholdest thy wife again, that here are come +the Volsungs, and in this company may King Helgi be found, if Hodbrod +be fain of finding him, for his game and his joy it is to fight and win +fame, while thou art kissing the handmaids by the fire-side." + +Then answered Granmar, "In nowise knowest thou how to speak seemly +things, and to tell of matters remembered from of old, whereas thou +layest lies on chiefs and lords; most like it is that thou must have +long been nourished with wolf-meat abroad in the wild-woods, and has +slain thy brethren; and a marvel it is to behold that thou darest to +join thyself to the company of good men and true, thou, who hast sucked +the blood of many a cold corpse." + +Sinfjotli answered, "Dim belike is grown thy memory now, of how thou +wert a witch-wife on Varinsey, and wouldst fain have a man to thee, and +chose me to that same office of all the world; and how thereafter thou +wert a Valkyria (1) in Asgarth, and it well-nigh came to this, that for +thy sweet sake should all men fight; and nine wolf whelps I begat on thy +body in Lowness, and was the father to them all." + +Granmar answers, "Great skill of lying hast thou; yet belike the father +of naught at all mayst thou be, since thou wert gelded by the giant's +daughters of Thrasness; and lo thou art the stepson of King Siggeir, and +were wont to lie abroad in wilds and woods with the kin of wolves; and +unlucky was the hand wherewith thou slewest thy brethren making for +thyself an exceeding evil name." + +Said Sinfjotli, "Mindest thou not then, when thou were stallion Grani's +mare, and how I rode thee an amble on Bravoli, and that afterwards thou +wert giant Golnir's goat herd?" + +Granmar says, "Rather would I feed fowls with the flesh of thee than +wrangle any longer with thee." + +Then spake King Helgi, "Better were it for ye, and a more manly deed, to +fight, rather than to speak such things as it is a shame even to hearken +to; Granmar's sons are no friends of me and of mine, yet are they hardy +men none the less." + +So Granmar rode away to meet King Hodbrod, at a stead called Sunfells, +and the horses of the twain were named Sveipud and Sveggjud. The +brothers met in the castle-porch, and Granmar told Hodbrod of the +war-news. King Hodbrod was clad in a byrny, and had his helm on his +head; he asked-- + +"What men are anigh, why look ye so wrathful?" + +Granmar says, "Here are come the Volsungs, and twelve thousand men of +them are afloat off the coast, and seven thousand are at the island +called Sok, but at the stead called Grindur is the greatest company of +all, and now I deem withal that Helgi and his fellowship have good will +to give battle." + +Then said the king, "Let us send a message through all our realm, and go +against them, neither let any who is fain of fight sit idle at home; let +us send word to the sons of Ring, and to King Hogni, and to Alf the Old, +for they are mighty warriors." + +So the hosts met at Wolfstone, and fierce fight befell there; Helgi +rushed forth through the host of his foes, and many a man fell there; at +last folk saw a great company of shield-maidens, like burning flames to +look on, and there was come Sigrun, the king's daughter. Then King Helgi +fell on King Hodbrod, and smote him, and slew him even under his very +banner; and Sigrun cried out-- + +"Have thou thanks for thy so manly deed! Now shall we share the land +between us, and a day of great good hap this is to me, and for this deed +shalt thou get honour and renown, in that thou hast felled to earth so +mighty a king." + +So Helgi took to him that realm and dwelt there long, when he had wedded +Sigrun, and became a king of great honour and renown, though he has +naught more to do with this story. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Valkyrja, "Chooser of the elected." The women were so + called whom Odin sent to choose those for death in battle + who were to join the "Einherjar" in the hall of the elected, + "Val-holl." + + + +CHAPTER X. The ending of Sinfjatli, Sigmund's Son. + +Now the Volsungs fare back home, and have gained great renown by these +deeds. But Sinfjotli betook himself to warfare anew; and therewith he +had sight of an exceeding fair woman, and yearned above all things for +her, but that same woman was wooed also of the brother of Borghild, the +king's wife: and this matter they fought out betwixt them, and Sinfjotli +slew that king; and thereafter he harried far and wide, and had many +a battle and even gained the day; and he became hereby honoured and +renowned above all men; but in autumn tide he came home with many ships +and abundant wealth. + +Then he told his tidings to the king his father, and he again to the +queen, and she for her part bids him get him gone from the realm, and +made as if she would in nowise see him. But Sigmund said he would not +drive him away, and offered her atonement of gold and great wealth for +her brother's life, albeit he said he had never erst given weregild +(1) to any for the slaying of a man, but no fame it was to uphold wrong +against a woman. + +So seeing she might not get her own way herein, she said, "Have thy will +in this matter, O my lord, for it is seemly so to be." + +And now she holds the funeral feast for her brother by the aid and +counsel of the king, and makes ready all things thereof or in the best of +wise, and bade thither many great men. + +At that feast, Borghild the queen bare the drink to folk, and she came +over against Sinfjofli with a great horn, and said-- + +"Fall to now and drink, fair stepson!" + +Then he took the horn to him, and looked therein, and said-- + +"Nay, for the drink is charmed drink" + +Then said Sigmund, "Give it unto me then;" and therewith he took the +horn and drank it off. + +But the queen said to Sinfjotli, "Why must other men needs drink thine +ale for thee?" And she came again the second time with the horn, and +said, "Come now and drink!" and goaded him with many words. + +And he took the horn, and said-- + +"Guile is in the drink." + +And thereon, Sigmund cried out-- + +"Give it then unto me!" + +Again, the third time, she came to him, and bade him drink off his +drink, if he had the heart of a Volsung; then he laid hand on the horn, +but said-- + +"Venom is therein." + +"Nay, let the lip strain it out then, O son," quoth Sigmund; and by then +was he exceeding drunk with drink, and therefore spake he in that wise. + +So Sinfjotli drank, and straightway fell down dead to the ground. + +Sigmund rose up, and sorrowed nigh to death over him; then he took the +corpse in his arms and fared away to the wood, and went till he came to +a certain firth; and then he saw a man in a little boat; and that man +asked if he would be wafted by him over the firth, and he said yes +thereto; but so little was the boat, that they might not all go in it +at once, so the corpse was first laid therein, while Sigmund went by +the firth-side. But therewith the boat and the man therein vanished away +from before Sigmund's eyes. (2) + +So thereafter Sigmund turned back home, and drave away the queen, and a +little after she died. But Sigmund the king yet ruled his realm, and is +deemed ever the greatest champion and king of the old law. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Weregild, fine for man-slaying ("wer", man, and "gild", a + payment). + (2) The man in the boat is Odin, doubtless. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his Sword +again. + +There was a king called Eylimi, mighty and of great fame, and his +daughter was called Hjordis, the fairest and wisest of womankind; and +Sigmund hears it told of her that she was meet to be his wife, yea if +none else were. So he goes to the house of King Eylimi, who would make +a great feast for him, if so be he comes not thither in the guise of +a foe. So messages were sent from one to the other that this present +journey was a peaceful one, and not for war; so the feast was held in +the best of wise and with many a man thereat; fairs were in every place +established for King Sigmund, and all things else were done to the aid +and comfort of his journey: so he came to the feast, and both kings hold +their state in one hall; thither also was come King Lyngi, son of King +Hunding, and he also is a-wooing the daughter of King Eylimi. + +Now the king deemed he knew that the twain had come thither but for one +errand, and thought withal that war and trouble might be looked for +from the hands of him who brought not his end about; so he spake to his +daughter, and said-- + +"Thou art a wise woman, and I have spoken it, that thou alone shalt +choose a husband for thyself; choose therefore between these two kings, +and my rede shall be even as thine." + +"A hard and troublous matter," says she; "yet will I choose him who is +of greatest fame, King Sigmund to wife albeit he is well stricken in +years." + +So to him was she betrothed, and King Lyngi gat him gone. Then was +Sigmund wedded to Hjordis, and now each day was the feast better and +more glorious than on the day before it. But thereafter Sigmund went +back home to Hunland, and King Eylimi, his father-in-law, with him, and +King Sigmund betakes himself to the due ruling of his realm. + +But King Lyngi and his brethren gather an army together to fall on +Sigmund, for as in all matters they were wont to have the worser lot, +so did this bite the sorest of all; and they would fain prevail over the +might and pride of the Volsungs. So they came to Hunland, and sent King +Sigmund word how that they would not steal upon him and that they deemed +he would scarce slink away from them. So Sigmund said he would come and +meet them in battle, and drew his power together; but Hjordis was borne +into the wood with a certain bondmaid, and mighty wealth went with them; +and there she abode the while they fought. + +Now the vikings rushed from their ships in numbers not to be borne up +against, but Sigmund the King, and Eylimi set up their banners, and the +horns blew up to battle; but King Sigmund let blow the horn his father +erst had had, and cheered on his men to the fight, but his army was far +the fewest. + +Now was that battle fierce and fell, and though Sigmund were old, yet +most hardily he fought, and was ever the foremost of his men; no shield +or byrny might hold against him, and he went ever through the ranks +of his foemen on that day, and no man might see how things would fare +between them; many an arrow and many a spear was aloft in air that day, +and so his spae-wrights wrought for him that he got no wound, and none +can tell over the tale of those who fell before him, and both his arms +were red with blood, even to the shoulders. + +But now whenas the battle had dured a while, there came a man into +the fight clad in a blue cloak, and with a slouched hat on his head, +one-eyed he was, (1) and bare a bill in his hand; and he came against +Sigmund the King, and have up his bill against him, and as Sigmund smote +fiercely with the sword it fell upon the bill and burst asunder in the +midst: thenceforth the slaughter and dismay turned to his side, for the +good-hap of King Sigmund had departed from him, and his men fell fast +about him; naught did the king spare himself, but the rather cheered on +his men; but even as the saw says, "No might 'gainst many", so was it +now proven; and in this fight fell Sigmund the King, and King Eylimi, +his father-in-law, in the fore-front of their battle, and therewith the +more part of their folk. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin coming to change the ownership of the sword he had + given Sigmund. See Chapter 3. + + + +CHAPTER XII. Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to +King Alf. + +Now King Lyngi made for the king's abode, and was minded to take the +king's daughter there, but failed herein, for there he found neither +wife nor wealth; so he fared through all the realm, and gave his men +rule thereover, and now deemed that he had slain all the kin of the +Volsungs, and that he need dread them no more from henceforth. + +Now Hjordis went amidst the slain that night of the battle, and came +whereas lay King Sigmund, and asked if he might be healed; but he +answered-- + +"Many a man lives after hope has grown little; but my good-hap has +departed from me, nor will I suffer myself to be healed, nor wills Odin +that I should ever draw sword again, since this my sword and his is +broken; lo now, I have waged war while it was his will." + +"Naught ill would I deem matters," said she, "if thou mightest be healed +and avenge my father." + +The king said, "That is fated for another man; behold now, thou art +great with a man-child; nourish him well; and with good heed, and the +child shall be the noblest and most famed of all our kin: and keep well +withal the shards of the sword: thereof shall a goodly sword be made, +and it shall be called Gram, and our son shall bear it, and shall work +many a great work therewith, even such as eld shall never minish; for +his name shall abide and flourish as long as the world shall endure: and +let this be enow for thee. But now I grow weary with my wounds, and I +will go see our kin that have gone before me." + +So Hjordis sat over him till he died at the day-dawning; and then she +looked, and behold, there came many ships sailing to the land: then she +spake to the handmaid-- + +"Let us now change raiment, and be thou called by my name, and say that +thou art the king's daughter." + +And thus they did; but now the vikings behold the great slaughter of men +there, and see where two women fare away thence into the wood; and they +deem that some great tidings must have befallen, and they leaped ashore +from out their ships. Now the captain of these folks was Alf, son of +Hjalprek, king of Denmark, who was sailing with his power along the +land. So they came into the field among the slain, and saw how many men +lay dead there; then the king bade go seek for the women and bring +them thither, and they did so. He asked them what women they were; and, +little as the thing seems like to be, the bondmaid answered for the +twain, telling of the fall of King Sigmund and King Eylimi, and many +another great man, and who they were withal who had wrought the deed. +Then the king asks if they wotted where the wealth of the king was +bestowed; and then says the bondmaid-- + +"It may well be deemed that we know full surely thereof." + +And therewith she guides them to the place where the treasure lay: and +there they found exceeding great wealth; so that men deem they have +never seen so many things of price heaped up together in one place. All +this they bore to the ships of King Alf, and Hjordis and bondmaid went +them. Therewith these sail away to their own realm, and talk how that +surely on that field had fallen the most renowned of kings. + +So the king sits by the tiller, but the women abide in the forecastle; +but talk he had with the women and held their counsels of much account. + +In such wise the king came home to his realm with great wealth, and he +himself was a man exceeding goodly to look on. But when he had been but +a little while at home, the queen, his mother, asked him why the fairest +of the two women had the fewer rings and the less worthy attire. + +"I deem," she said, "that she whom ye have held of least account is the +noblest of the twain." + +He answered: "I too have misdoubted me, that she is little like a +bondwoman, and when we first met, in seemly wise she greeted noble men. +Lo now, we will make trial of the thing." + +So on a time as men sat at the drink, the king sat down to talk with the +women, and said:-- + +"In what wise do ye note the wearing of the hours, whenas night grows +old, if ye may not see the lights of heaven?" + +Then says the bondwoman, "This sign have I, that whenas in my youth I +was wont to drink much in the dawn, so now when I no longer use that +manner, I am yet wont to wake up at that very same tide, and by that +token do I know thereof." + +Then the king laughed and said, "Ill manners for a king's daughter!" And +therewith he turned to Hjordis, and asked her even the same question; +but she answered-- + +"My father erst gave me a little gold ring of such nature, that it +groweth cold on my finger in the day-dawning; and that is the sign that +I have to know thereof." + +The king answered: "Enow of gold there, where a very bondmaid bore it! +But come now, thou hast been long enow hid from me; yet if thou hadst +told me all from the beginning, I would have done to thee as though we +had both been one king's children: but better than thy deeds will I deal +with thee, for thou shalt be my wife, and due jointure will I pay thee +whenas thou hast borne me a child." + +She spake therewith and told out the whole truth about herself: so there +was she held in great honour, and deemed the worthiest of women. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + +The tale tells that Hjordis brought forth a man-child, who was +straightly borne before King Hjalprek, and then was the king glad +thereof, when he saw the keen eyes in the head of him, and he said that +few men would be equal to him or like unto him in any wise. So he was +sprinkled with water, and had to name Sigurd, of whom all men speak +with one speech and say that none was ever his like for growth and +goodliness. He was brought up in the house of King Hjalprek in great +love and honour; and so it is, that whenso all the noblest men and +greatest kings are named in the olden tales, Sigurd is ever put before +them all for might and prowess, for high mind and stout heart; wherewith +he was far more abundantly gifted than any man of the northern parts of +the wide world. + +So Sigurd waxed in King Hjalprek's house, and there was no child but +loved him; through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and jointure +meted to her. + +Now Sigurd's foster-father was hight Regin, the son of Hreidmar; he +taught him all manner of arts, the chess play, and the lore of runes, +and the talking of many tongues, even as the wont was with kings' sons +in those days. But on a day when they were together, Regin asked Sigurd, +if he knew how much wealth his father had owned, and who had the ward +thereof; Sigurd answered, and said that the kings kept the ward thereof. + +Said Regin, "Dost thou trust them all utterly?" + +Sigurd said, "It is seemly that they keep it till I may do somewhat +therewith, for better they wot how to guard it than I do." + +Another time came Regin to talk to Sigurd, and said-- + +"A marvellous thing truly that thou must needs be a horse-boy to the +kings, and go about like a running knave." + +"Nay," said Sigurd, "it is not so, for in all things I have my will, and +whatso thing I desire is granted me with good will." + +"Well, then," said Regin, "ask for a horse of them." + +"Yea," quoth Sigurd, "and that shall I have, whenso I have need +thereof." + +Thereafter Sigurd went to the king, and the king said-- + +"What wilt thou have of us?" + +Then said Sigurd, "I would even a horse of thee for my disport." + +Then said the king, "Choose for thyself a horse, and whatso thing else +thou desirest among my matters." + +So the next day went Sigurd to the wood, and met on the way an old man, +long-bearded, that he knew not, who asked him whither away. + +Sigurd said, "I am minded to choose me a horse; come thou, and counsel +me thereon." + +"Well then," said he, "go we and drive them to the river which is called +Busil-tarn." + +They did so, and drave the horses down into the deeps of the river, and +all swam back to land but one horse; and that horse Sigurd chose for +himself; grey he was of hue, and young of years, great of growth, and +fair to look on, nor had any man yet crossed his back. + +Then spake the grey-beard, "From Sleipnir's kin is this horse come, and +he must be nourished heedfully, for it will be the best of all horses;" +and therewithal he vanished away. + +So Sigurd called the horse Grani, the best of all the horses of the +world; nor was the man he met other than Odin himself. + +Now yet again spake Regin to Sigurd, and said-- + +"Not enough is thy wealth, and I grieve right sore, that thou must needs +run here and there like s churl's son; but I can tell thee where there +is much wealth for the winning, and great name and honour to be won in +getting of it." + +Sigurd asked where that might be, and who had watch and ward over it. + +Regin answered, "Fafnir is his name, and but a little way hence he lies, +on the waste of Gnita-heath; and when thou comest there thou mayst well +say that thou hast never seen more gold heaped together in one place, +and that none might desire more treasure, though he were the most +ancient and famed of all kings." + +"Young am I," says Sigurd, "yet know I the fashion of this worm, and how +that none durst go against him, so huge and evil is he." + +Regin said, "Nay it is not so, the fashion and the growth of him is even +as of other lingworms, (1) and an over great tale men make of it; and +even so would thy forefathers have deemed; but thou, though thou be of +the kin of the Volsungs, shalt scarce have the heart and mind of those, +who are told of as the first in all deeds of fame." + +Sigurd said, "Yea, belike I have little of their hardihood and prowess, +but thou hast naught to do, to lay a coward's name upon me, when I +am scarce out of my childish years. Why dost thou egg me on hereto so +busily?" + +Regin said, "Therein lies a tale which I must needs tell thee." + +"Let me hear the same," said Sigurd. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lingworm--longworm, dragon. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. Regin's tale of his Brothers, and of the Gold called +Andvari's Hoard. + +"The tale begins," said Regin. "Hreidmar was my father's name, a mighty +man and z wealthy: and his first son was named Fafnir, his second Otter, +and I was the third, and the least of them all both for prowess and good +conditions, but I was cunning to work in iron, and silver, and gold, +whereof I could make matters that availed somewhat. Other skill my +brother Otter followed, and had another nature withal, for he was a +great fisher, and above other men herein; in that he had the likeness of +an otter by day, and dwelt ever in the river, and bare fish to bank +in his mouth, and his prey would he ever bring to our father, and that +availed him much: for the most part he kept him in his otter-gear, and +then he would come home, and eat alone, and slumbering, for on the +dry land he might see naught. But Fafnir was by far the greatest and +grimmest, and would have all things about called his. + +"Now," says Regin, "there was a dwarf called Andvari, who ever abode in +that force, (1) which was called Andvari's force, in the likeness of a +pike, and got meat for himself, for many fish there were in the force; +now Otter, my brother, was ever wont to enter into the force, and bring +fish aland, and lay them one by one on the bank. And so it befell that +Odin, Loki, and Hoenir, as they went their ways, came to Andvari's +force, and Otter had taken a salmon, and ate it slumbering upon the +river bank; then Loki took a stone and cast it at Otter, so that he gat +his death thereby; the gods were well content with their prey, and +fell to flaying off the otter's skin; and in the evening they came to +Hreidmar's house, and showed him what they had taken: thereon he laid +hands on them, and doomed them to such ransom, as that they should fill +the otter skin with gold, and cover it over without with red gold; so +they sent Loki to gather gold together for them; he came to Ran, (2) +and got her net, and went therewith to Andvari's force, and cast the net +before the pike, and the pike ran into the net and was taken. Then said +Loki-- + + "'What fish of all fishes, + Swims strong in the flood, + But hath learnt little wit to beware? + Thine head must thou buy, + From abiding in hell, + And find me the wan waters flame.' + +"He answered-- + + "'Andvari folk call me, + Call Oinn my father, + Over many a force have I fared; + For a Norn of ill-luck, + This life on me lay + Through wet ways ever to wade.' + +"So Loki beheld the gold of Andvari, and when he had given up the gold, +he had but one ring left, and that also Loki took from him; then +the dwarf went into a hollow of the rocks, and cried out, that that +gold-ring, yea and all the gold withal, should be the bane of every man +who should own it thereafter. + +"Now the gods rode with the treasure to Hreidmar, and fulfilled the +otter-skin, and set it on its feet, and they must cover it over utterly +with gold: but when this was done then Hreidmar came forth, and beheld +yet one of the muzzle hairs, and bade them cover that withal; then Odin +drew the ring, Andvari's loom, from his hand, and covered up the hair +therewith; then sang Loki-- + + "'Gold enow, gold enow, + A great weregild, thou hast, + That my head in good hap I may hold; + But thou and thy son + Are naught fated to thrive, + The bane shall it be of you both.' + +"Thereafter," says Regin, "Fafnir slew his father and murdered him, nor +got I aught of the treasure, and so evil he grew, that he fell to lying +abroad, and begrudged any share in the wealth to any man, and so became +the worst of all worms, and ever now lies brooding upon that treasure: +but for me, I went to the king and became his master-smith; and thus is +the tale told of how I lost the heritage of my father, and the weregild +for my brother." + +So spake Regin; but since that time gold is called Ottergild, and for no +other cause than this. + +But Sigurd answered, "Much hast thou lost, and exceeding evil have thy +kinsmen been! But now, make a sword by thy craft, such a sword as that +none can be made like unto it; so that I may do great deeds therewith, +if my heart avail thereto, and thou wouldst have me slay this mighty +dragon." + +Regin says, "Trust me well herein; and with that same sword shalt thou +slay Fafnir." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Waterfall (Ice. "foss", "fors"). + (2) Ran is the goddess of the sea, wife of Aegir. The otter was + held sacred by Norsefolk and figures in the myth and legend + of most races besides; to this day its killing is held a + great crime by the Parsees (Haug. "Religion of the Parsees", + page 212). Compare penalty above with that for killing the + Welsh king's cat ("Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales". + Ed., Aneurin Owen. Longman, London, 1841, 2 vols. 8vo). + + + +CHAPTER XV. Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sward Gram. + +So Regin makes a sword, and gives it into Sigurd's hands. He took the +sword, and said-- + +"Behold thy smithying, Regin!" and therewith smote it into the anvil, +and the sword brake; so he cast down the brand, and bade him forge a +better. + +Then Regin forged another sword, and brought it to Sigurd, who looked +thereon. + +Then said Regin, "Belike thou art well content therewith, hard master +though thou be in smithying." + +So Sigurd proved the sword, and brake it even as the first; then he said +to Regin-- + +"Ah, art thou, mayhappen, a traitor and a liar like to those former kin +of thine?" + +Therewith he went to his mother, and she welcomed him in seemly wise, +and they talked and drank together. + +Then spake Sigurd, "Have I heard aright, that King Sigmund gave thee the +good sword Gram in two pieces?" + +"True enough," she said. + +So Sigurd said, "Deliver them into my hands, for I would have them." + +She said he looked like to win great fame, and gave him the sword. +Therewith went Sigurd to Regin, and bade him make a good sword thereof +as he best might; Regin grew wroth thereat, but went into the smithy +with the pieces of the sword, thinking well meanwhile that Sigurd pushed +his head far enow into the matter of smithying. So he made a sword, and +as he bore it forth from the forge, it seemed to the smiths as though +fire burned along the edges thereof. Now he bade Sigurd take the sword, +and said he knew not how to make a sword if this one failed. Then Sigurd +smote it into the anvil, and cleft it down to the stock thereof, and +neither burst the sword nor brake it. Then he praised the sword much, +and thereafter went to the river with a lock of wool, and threw it up +against the stream, and it fell asunder when it met the sword. Then was +Sigurd glad, and went home. + +But Regin said, "Now whereas I have made the sword for thee, belike thou +wilt hold to thy troth given, and wilt go meet Fafnir?" + +"Surely will I hold thereto," said Sigurd, "yet first must I avenge my +father." + +Now Sigurd the older he grew, the more he grew in the love of all men, +so that every child loved him well. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. The prophecy of Grifir. + +There was a man hight Grifir,(1) who was Sigurd's mother's brother, and +a little after the forging of the sword Sigurd went to Grifir, because +he was a man who knew things to come, and what was fated to men: of him +Sigurd asked diligently how his life should go; but Grifir was long +or he spake, yet at the last, by reason of Sigurd's exceeding great +prayers, he told him all his life and the fate thereof, even as +afterwards came to pass. So when Grifir had told him all even as he +would, he went back home; and a little after he and Regin met. + +Then said Regin, "Go thou and slay Fafnir, even as thou hast given thy +word." + +Sigurd said, "That work shall be wrought; but another is first to be +done, the avenging of Sigmund the king and the other of my kinsmen who +fell in that their last fight." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Called "Gripir" in the Edda. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father. + +Now Sigurd went to the kings, and spake thus-- + +"Here have I abode a space with you, and I owe you thanks and reward, +for great love and many gifts and all due honour; but now will I away +from the land and go meet the sons of Hunding, and do them to wit that +the Volsungs are not all dead; and your might would I have to strengthen +me therein." + +So the kings said that they would give him all things soever that +he desired, and therewith was a great army got ready, and all things +wrought in the most heedful wise, ships and all war-gear, so that his +journey might be of the stateliest: but Sigurd himself steered the +dragon-keel which was the greatest and noblest; richly wrought were +their sails, and glorious to look on. + +So they sail and have wind at will; but when a few days were overpast, +there arose a great storm on the sea, and the waves were to behold even +as the foam of men's blood; but Sigurd bade take in no sail, howsoever +they might be riven, but rather to lay on higher than heretofore. But +as they sailed past the rocks of a ness, a certain man hailed the ships, +and asked who was captain over that navy; then was it told him that the +chief and lord was Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, the most famed of all the +young men who now are. + +Then said the man, "Naught but one thing, certes do all say of him, that +none among the sons of kings may be likened unto him; now fain were I +that ye would shorten sail on some of the ships, and take me aboard." + +Then they asked him of his name, and he sang-- + + "Hnikar I hight, + When I gladdened Huginn, + And went to battle, + Bright son of Volsung; + Now may ye call + The carl on the cliff top, + Feng or Fjolnir: + Fain would I with you." + +They made for land therewith, and took that man aboard. + +Then quoth Sigurd,(1) as the song says-- + + "Tell me this, O Hnikar, + Since full well thou knowest + Fate of Gods, good and ill of mankind, + What best our hap foresheweth, + When amid the battle + About us sweeps the sword edge." + +Quoth Hnikar-- + + "Good are many tokens + If thereof men wotted + When the swords are sweeping: + Fair fellow deem I + The dark-winged raven, + In war, to weapon-wielder. + + "The second good thing: + When abroad thou goest + For the long road well arrayed, + Good if thou seest + Two men standing, + Fain of fame within the forecourt. + + "A third thing: + Good hearing, + The wolf a howling + Abroad under ash boughs; + Good hap shalt thou have + Dealing with helm-staves, + If thou seest these fare before thee. + + "No man in fight + His face shall turn + Against the moon's sister + Low, late-shining, + For he winneth battle + Who best beholdeth + Through the midmost sword-play, + And the sloping ranks best shapeth. + + "Great is the trouble + Of foot ill-tripping, + When arrayed for fight thou farest, + For on both sides about + Are the Disir (2) by thee, + Guileful, wishful of thy wounding. + + "Fair-combed, well washen + Let each warrior be, + Nor lack meat in the morning, + For who can rule + The eve's returning, + And base to fall before fate grovelling." + +Then the storm abated, and on they fared till they came aland in the +realm of Hunding's sons, and then Fjolnir vanished away. + +Then they let loose fire and sword, and slew men and burnt their abodes, +and did waste all before them: a great company of folk fled before the +face of them to Lyngi the King, and tell him that men of war are in the +land, and are faring with such rage and fury that the like has never +been heard of; and that the sons of King Hunding had no great forecast +in that they said they would never fear the Volsungs more, for here was +come Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, as captain over this army. + +So King Lyngi let send the war-message all throughout his realm, and has +no will to flee, but summons to him all such as would give him aid. So +he came against Sigurd with a great army, he and his brothers with him, +and an exceeding fierce fight befell; many a spear and many an arrow +might men see there raised aloft, axes hard driven, shields cleft and +byrnies torn, helmets were shivered, skulls split atwain, and many a man +felled to the cold earth. + +And now when the fight has long dured in such wise, Sigurd goes forth +before the banners, and has the good sword Gram in his hand, and smites +down both men and horses, and goes through the thickest of the throng +with both arms red with blood to the shoulder; and folk shrank aback +before him wheresoever he went, nor would either helm or byrny hold +before him, and no man deemed he had ever seen his like. So a long while +the battle lasted, and many a man was slain, and furious was the onset; +till at last it befell, even as seldom comes to hand, when a land army +falls on, that, do whatso they might, naught was brought about; but so +many men fell of the sons of Hunding that the tale of them may not be +told; and now whenas Sigurd was among the foremost, came the sons of +Hunding against him, and Sigurd smote therewith at Lyngi the king, and +clave him down, both helm and head, and mail-clad body, and thereafter +he smote Hjorward his brother atwain, and then slew all the other sons +of Hunding who were yet alive, and the more part of their folk withal. + +Now home goes Sigurd with fair victory won, and plenteous wealth and +great honour, which he had gotten to him in this journey, and feasts +were made for him against he came back to the realm. + +But when Sigurd had been at home but a little, came Regin to talk with +him, and said-- + +"Belike thou wilt now have good will to bow down Fafnir's crest +according to thy word plighted, since thou hast thus revenged thy father +and the others of thy kin." + +Sigurd answered, "That will we hold to, even as we have promised, nor +did it ever fall from our memory." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This and verses following were inserted from the "Reginsmal" + by the translators. + (2) "Disir", sing. "Dis". These are the guardian beings who + follow a man from his birth to his death. The word + originally means sister, and is used throughout the Eddaic + poems as a dignified synonym for woman, lady. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. Of the Slaying of the Worm Fafnir. + +Now Sigurd and Regin ride up the heath along that same way wherein +Fafnir was wont to creep when he fared to the water; and folk say that +thirty fathoms was the height of that cliff along which he lay when he +drank of the water below. Then Sigurd spake-- + +"How sayedst thou, Regin, that this drake (1) was no greater than other +lingworms; methinks the track of him is marvellous great?" + +Then said Regin, "Make thee a hole, and sit down therein, and whenas +the worm comes to the water, smite him into the heart, and so do him to +death, and win thee great fame thereby." + +But Sigurd said, "What will betide me if I be before the blood of the +worm?" + +Says Regin, "Of what avail to counsel thee if thou art still afeard of +everything? Little art thou like thy kin in stoutness of heart." + +Then Sigurd rides right over the heath; but Regin gets him gone, sore +afeard. + +But Sigurd fell to digging him a pit, and whiles he was at that work, +there came to him an old man with a long beard, and asked what he +wrought there, and he told him. + +Then answered the old man and said, "Thou doest after sorry counsel: +rather dig thee many pits, and let the blood run therein; but sit thee +down in one thereof, and so thrust the worm's heart through." + +And therewithal he vanished away; but Sigurd made the pits even as it +was shown to him. + +Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth shook +all about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way before him as +he went; but Sigurd neither trembled nor was adrad at the roaring of +him. So whenas the worm crept over the pits, Sigurd thrust his sword +under his left shoulder, so that it sank in up to the hilts; then up +leapt Sigurd from the pit and drew the sword back again unto him, and +therewith was his arm all bloody, up to the very shoulder. + +Now when that mighty worm was ware that he had his death-wound, then he +lashed out head and tail, so that all things soever that were before him +were broken to pieces. + +So whenas Fafnir had his death-wound, he asked "Who art thou? And who is +thy father? And what thy kin, that thou wert so hardy as to bear weapons +against me?" + +Sigurd answered, "Unknown to men is my kin. I am called a noble beast: +(2) neither father have I nor mother, and all alone have I fared +hither." + +Said Fafnir, "Whereas thou hast neither father nor mother, of what +wonder weft thou born then? But now, though thou tellest me not thy name +on this my death-day, yet thou knowest verily that thou liest unto me." + +He answered, "Sigurd am I called, and my father was Sigmund." + +Says Fafnir, "Who egged thee on to this deed, and why wouldst thou be +driven to it? Hadst thou never heard how that all folk were adrad of +me, and of the awe of my countenance? But an eager father thou hadst, O +bright eyed swain!" + +Sigurd answered, "A hardy heart urged me on hereto, and a strong hand +and this sharp sword, which well thou knowest now, stood me in stead in +the doing of the deed. 'Seldom hath hardy eld a faint-heart youth.'" + +Fafnir said, "Well, I wot that hadst thou waxed amid thy kin, thou +mightest have good skill to slay folk in thine anger; but more of a +marvel is it, that thou, a bondsman taken in war, shouldst have the +heart to set on me, 'for few among bondsmen have heart for the fight.'" + +Said Sigurd, "Wilt thou then cast it in my teeth that I am far away from +my kin? Albeit I was a bondsman, yet was I never shackled. God wot thou +hast found me free enow." + +Fafnir answered, "In angry wise dost thou take my speech; but hearken, +for that same gold which I have owned shall be thy bane too." + +Quoth Sigurd, "Fain would we keep all our wealth til that day of days; +yet shall each man die once for all." + +Said Fafnir, "Few things wilt thou do after my counsel, but take heed +that thou shalt be drowned if thou farest unwarily over the sea; so bide +thou rather on the dry land for the coming of the calm tide." + +Then said Sigurd, "Speak, Fafnir, and say, if thou art so exceeding +wise, who are the Norns who rule the lot of all mothers' sons." + +Fafnir answers, "Many there be and wide apart; for some are of the kin +of the Aesir, and some are of Elfin kin, and some there are who are +daughters of Dvalin." + +Said Sigurd, "How namest thou the holm whereon Surt (3) and the Aesir +mix and mingle the water of the sword?" + +"Unshapen is that holm hight," said Fafnir. + +And yet again he said, "Regin, my brother, has brought about my end, +and it gladdens my heart that thine too he bringeth about; for thus will +things be according to his will." + +And once again he spake, "A countenance of terror I bore up before all +folk, after that I brooded over the heritage of my brother, and on every +side did I spout out poison, so that none durst come anigh me, and of +no weapon was I adrad, nor ever had I so many men before me, as that +I deemed myself not stronger than all; for all men were sore afeard of +me." + +Sigurd answered and said, "Few may have victory by means of that same +countenance of terror, for whoso comes amongst many shall one day find +that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all." + +Then says Fafnir, "Such counsel I give thee, that thou take thy horse +and ride away at thy speediest, for ofttimes it fails out so, that he +who gets a death-wound avenges himself none the less." + +Sigurd answered, "Such as thy redes are I will nowise do after them; +nay, I will ride now to thy lair and take to me that great treasure of +thy kin." + +"Ride there then," said Fafnir, "and thou shalt find gold enow to +suffice thee for all thy life-days; yet shall that gold be thy bane, and +the bane of every one soever who owns it." + +Then up stood Sigurd, and said, "Home would I ride and lose all that +wealth, if I deemed that by the losing thereof I should never die; but +every brave and true man will fain have his hand on wealth till that +last day that thou, Fafnir, wallow in the death-pain til Death and Hell +have thee." + +And therewithal Fafnir died. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Lat. "draco", a dragon. + (2) "Unknown to men is my kin." Sigurd refusing to tell his + name is to be referred to the superstition that a dying man + could throw a curse on his enemy. + (3) Surt; a fire-giant, who will destroy the world at the + Ragnarok, or destruction of all things. Aesir; the gods. + + + +CHAPTER XIX. Of the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar. + +Thereafter came Regin to Sigurd, and said, "Hail, lord and master, a +noble victory hast thou won in the slaying of Fafnir, whereas none durst +heretofore abide in the path of him; and now shall this deed of fame be +of renown while the world stands fast." + +Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and presently +thereafter spake from heavy-mood: "Mine own brother hast thou slain, and +scarce may I be called sackless of the deed." + +Then Sigurd took his sword Gram and dried it on the earth, and spake to +Regin-- + +"Afar thou faredst when I wrought this deed and tried this sharp sword +with the hand and the might of me; with all the might and main of a +dragon must I strive, while thou wert laid alow in the heather-bush, +wotting not if it were earth or heaven." + +Said Regin, "Long might this worm have lain in his lair, if the sharp +sword I forged with my hand had not been good at need to thee; had that +not been, neither thou nor any man would have prevailed against him as +at this time." + +Sigurd answers, "Whenas men meet foes in fight, better is stout heart +than sharp sword." + +Then said Regin, exceeding heavily, "Thou hast slain my brother, and +scarce may I be sackless of the deed." + +Therewith Sigurd cut out the heart of the worm with the sword called +Ridil; but Regin drank of Fafnir's blood, and spake, "Grant me a boon, +and do a thing little for thee to do. Bear the heart to the fire, and +roast it, and give me thereof to eat." + +Then Sigurd went his ways and roasted it on a rod; and when the blood +bubbled out he laid his finger thereon to essay it, if it were fully +done; and then he set his finger in his mouth, and lo, when the +heart-blood of the worm touched his tongue, straightway he knew the +voice of all fowls, and heard withal how the wood-peckers chattered in +the brake beside him-- + +"There sittest thou, Sigurd, roasting Fafnir's heart for another, that +thou shouldest eat thine ownself, and then thou shouldest become the +wisest of all men." + +And another spake: "There lies Regin, minded to beguile the man who +trusts in him." + +But yet again said the third, "Let him smite the head from off him then, +and be only lord of all that gold." + +And once more the fourth spake and said, "Ah, the wiser were he if he +followed after that good counsel, and rode thereafter to Fafnir's lair, +and took to him that mighty treasure that lieth there, and then rode +over Hindfell, whereas sleeps Brynhild; for there would he get great +wisdom. Ah, wise he were, if he did after your redes, and bethought him +of his own weal; 'for where wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near.'" + +Then cried the fifth: "Yea, yea, not so wise is he as I deem him, if he +spareth him whose brother he hath slain already." + +At last spake the sixth: "Handy and good rede to slay him, and be lord +of the treasure!" + +Then said Sigurd, "The time is unborn wherein Regin shall be my bane; +nay, rather one road shall both these brothers fare." + +And therewith he drew his sword Gram and struck off Regin's head. + +Then heard Sigurd the wood-peckers a-singing, even as the song says. (1) + +For the first sang: + + "Bind thou, Sigurd, + The bright red rings! + Not meet it is + Many things to fear. + A fair may know I, + Fair of all the fairest + Girt about with gold, + Good for thy getting." + +And the second: + + "Green go the ways + Toward the hall of Giuki + That the fates show forth + To those who fare thither; + There the rich king + Reareth a daughter; + Thou shalt deal, Sigurd, + With gold for thy sweetling." + +And the third: + + "A high hall is there + Reared upon Hindfell, + Without all around it + Sweeps the red flame aloft. + Wise men wrought + That wonder of halls + With the unhidden gleam + Of the glory of gold." + +Then the fourth sang: + + "Soft on the fell + A shield-may sleepeth + The lime-trees' red plague + Playing about her: + The sleep-thorn set Odin + Into that maiden + For her choosing in war + The one he willed not. + + "Go, son, behold + That may under helm + Whom from battle + Vinskornir bore, + From her may not turn + The torment of sleep. + Dear offspring of kings + In the dread Norns' despite." + +Then Sigurd ate some deal of Fafnir's heart, and the remnant he kept. +Then he leapt on his horse and rode along the trail of the worm Fafnir, +and so right unto his abiding-place; and he found it open, and beheld +all the doors and the gear of them that they were wrought of iron: yea, +and all the beams of the house; and it was dug down deep into the earth: +there found Sigurd gold exceeding plenteous, and the sword Rotti; and +thence he took the Helm of Awe, and the Gold Byrny, and many things +fair and good. So much gold he found there, that he thought verily that +scarce might two horses, or three belike, bear it thence. So he took +all the gold and laid it in two great chests, and set them on the horse +Grani, and took the reins of him, but nowise will he stir, neither will +he abide smiting. Then Sigurd knows the mind of the horse, and leaps on +the back of him, and smites and spurs into him, and off the horse goes +even as if he were unladen. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The Songs of the Birds were inserted from "Reginsmal" by the + translators. + + + +CHAPTER XX. Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the Mountain. + +By long roads rides Sigurd, till he comes at the last up on to Hindfell, +and wends his way south to the land of the Franks; and he sees before +him on the fell a great light, as of fire burning, and flaming up even +unto the heavens; and when he came thereto, lo, a shield hung castle +before him, and a banner on the topmost thereof: into the castle went +Sigurd, and saw one lying there asleep, and all-armed. Therewith he +takes the helm from off the head of him, and sees that it is no man, but +a woman; and she was clad in a byrny as closely set on her as though it +had gown to her flesh; so he rent it from the collar downwards; and then +the sleeves thereof, and ever the sword bit on it as if it were cloth. +Then said Sigurd that over-long had she lain asleep; but she asked-- + +"What thing of great might is it that has prevailed to rend my byrny, +and draw me from my sleep?" + +Even as sings the song (1) + + "What bit on the byrny, + Why breaks my sleep away, + Who has turned from me + My wan tormenting?" + +"Ah, is it so, that here is come Sigurd Sigmundson, bearing Fafnir's +helm on his head and Fafnir's bane in his hand?" + +Then answered Sigurd-- + + "Sigmund's son + With Sigurd's sword + E'en now rent down + The raven's wall." + +"Of the Volsung's kin is he who has done the deed; but now I have heard +that thou art daughter of a mighty king, and folk have told us that thou +wert lovely and full of lore, and now I will try the same." + +Then Brynhild sang-- + + "Long have I slept + And slumbered long, + Many and long are the woes of mankind, + By the might of Odin + Must I bide helpless + To shake from off me the spells of slumber. + + "Hail to the day come back! + Hail, sons of the daylight! + Hail to thee, dark night, and thy daughter! + Look with kind eyes a-down, + On us sitting here lonely, + And give unto us the gain that we long for. + + "Hail to the Aesir, + And the sweet Asyniur! (2) + Hail to the fair earth fulfilled of plenty! + Fair words, wise hearts, + Would we win from you, + And healing hands while life we hold." + +Then Brynhild speaks again and says, "Two kings fought, one hight Helm +Gunnar, an old man, and the greatest of warriors, and Odin had promised +the victory unto him; but his foe was Agnar, or Audi's brother, and so +I smote down Helm Gunnar in the fight; and Odin, in vengeance for that +deed, stuck the sleep-thorn into me, and said that I should never +again have the victory, but should be given away in marriage; but there +against I vowed a vow, that never would I wed one who knew the name of +fear." + +Then said Sigurd, "Teach us the lore of mighty matters!" + +She said, "Belike thou cannest more skill in all than I; yet will I +teach thee; yea, and with thanks, if there be aught of my cunning that +will in anywise pleasure thee, either of runes or of other matters that +are the root of things; but now let us drink together, and may the Gods +give to us twain a good day, that thou mayst win good help and fame +from my wisdom, and that thou mayst hereafter mind thee of that which we +twain speak together." + +Then Brynhild filled a beaker and bore it to Sigurd, and gave him the +drink of love, and spake-- + + "Beer bring I to thee, + Fair fruit of the byrnies' clash, + Mixed is it mightily, + Mingled with fame, + Brimming with bright lays + And pitiful runes, + Wise words, sweet words, + Speech of great game. + + "Runes of war know thou, + If great thou wilt be! + Cut them on hilt of hardened sword, + Some on the brand's back, + Some on its shining side, + Twice name Tyr therein. + + "Sea-runes good at need, + Learnt for ship's saving, + For the good health of the swimming horse; + On the stern cut them, + Cut them on the rudder-blade + And set flame to shaven oar: + Howso big be the sea-hills, + Howso blue beneath, + Hail from the main then comest thou home. + + "Word-runes learn well + If thou wilt that no man + Pay back grief for the grief thou gavest; + Wind thou these, + Weave thou these, + Cast thou these all about thee, + At the Thing, + Where folk throng, + Unto the full doom faring. + + "Of ale-runes know the wisdom + If thou wilt that another's wife + Should not bewray thine heart that trusteth: + Cut them on the mead-horn, + On the back of each hand, + And nick an N upon thy nail. + + "Ale have thou heed + To sign from all harm + Leek lay thou in the liquor, + Then I know for sure + Never cometh to thee, + Mead with hurtful matters mingled. + + "Help-runes shalt thou gather + If skill thou wouldst gain + To loosen child from low-laid mother; + Cut be they in hands hollow, + Wrapped the joints round about; + Call for the Good-folks' gainsome helping. + + "Learn the bough-runes wisdom + If leech-lore thou lovest; + And wilt wot about wounds' searching + On the bark be they scored; + On the buds of trees + Whose boughs look eastward ever. + + "Thought-runes shalt thou deal with + If thou wilt be of all men + Fairest-souled wight, and wisest, + These areded + These first cut + These first took to heart high Hropt. + + "On the shield were they scored + That stands before the shining God, + On Early-waking's ear, + On All-knowing's hoof, + On the wheel which runneth + Under Rognir's chariot; + On Sleipnir's jaw-teeth, + On the sleigh's traces. + + "On the rough bear's paws, + And on Bragi's tongue, + On the wolfs claws, + And on eagle's bill, + On bloody wings, + And bridge's end; + On loosing palms, + And pity's path: + + "On glass, and on gold, + And on goodly silver, + In wine and in wort, + And the seat of the witch-wife; + On Gungnir's point, + And Grani's bosom; + On the Norn's nail, + And the neb of the night-owl. + + "All these so cut, + Were shaven and sheared, + And mingled in with holy mead, + And sent upon wide ways enow; + Some abide with the Elves, + Some abide with the Aesir, + Or with the wise Vanir, + Some still hold the sons of mankind. + + "These be the book-runes, + And the runes of good help, + And all the ale-runes, + And the runes of much might; + To whomso they may avail, + Unbewildered unspoilt; + They are wholesome to have: + Thrive thou with these then. + When thou hast learnt their lore, + Till the Gods end thy life-days. + + "Now shalt thou choose thee + E'en as choice is bidden, + Sharp steel's root and stem, + Choose song or silence; + See to each in thy heart, + All hurt has been heeded." + +Then answered Sigurd-- + + "Ne'er shall I flee, + Though thou wottest me fey; + Never was I born for blenching, + Thy loved rede will I + Hold aright in my heart + Even as long as I may live." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The stanzas on the two following pages were inserted here + from "Sigrdrifasmal" by the translators. + (2) Goddesses. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. More Wise Words of Brynhild. + +Sigurd spake now, "Sure no wiser woman than thou art one may be found in +the wide world; yea, yea, teach me more yet of thy wisdom!" + +She answers, "Seemly is it that I do according to thy will, and show +thee forth more redes of great avail, for thy prayer's sake and thy +wisdom;" and she spake withal-- + +"Be kindly to friend and kin, and reward not their trespasses against +thee; bear and forbear, and win for thee thereby long enduring praise of +men. + +"Take good heed of evil things: a may's love, and a man's wife; full oft +thereof doth ill befall! + +"Let not thy mind be overmuch crossed by unwise men at thronged meetings +of folk; for oft these speak worse than they wot of; lest thou be called +a dastard, and art minded to think that thou art even as is said; slay +such an one on another day, and so reward his ugly talk. + +"If thou farest by the way whereas bide evil things, be well ware of +thyself; take not harbour near the highway, though thou be benighted, +for oft abide there ill wights for men's bewilderment. + +"Let not fair women beguile thee, such as thou mayst meet at the feast, +so that the thought thereof stand thee in stead of sleep, and a quiet +mind; yea, draw them not to thee with kisses or other sweet things of +love. + +"If thou hearest the fool's word of a drunken man, strive not with him +being drunk with drink and witless; many a grief, yea, and the very +death, groweth from out such things. + +"Fight thy foes in the field, nor be burnt in thine house. + +'Never swear thou wrongsome oath; great and grim is the reward for the +breaking of plighted troth. + +"Give kind heed to dead men,--sick-dead, Sea-dead, or word-dead; deal +heedfully with their dead corpses. + +"Trow never in him for whom thou hast slain father, brother, or whatso +near kin, yea, though young he be; 'for oft waxes wolf in youngling'. + +"Look thou with good heed to the wiles of thy friends; but little skill +is given to me, that I should foresee the ways of thy life; yet good it +were that hate fell not on thee from those of thy wife's house." + +Sigurd spake, "None among the sons of men can be found wiser than thou; +and thereby swear I, that thee will I have as my own, for near to my +heart thou liest." + +She answers, "Thee would I fainest choose, though I had all men's sons +to choose from." + +And thereto they plighted troth both of them. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's bane. (1) + +Now Sigurd rides away; many-folded is his shield, an blazing with red +gold, and the image of a dragon is drawn thereon; and this same was dark +brown above, and bright red below; and with even such-like image was +adorned helm, and saddle, and coat-armour; and he was clad in the golden +byrny, and all his weapons were gold wrought. + +Now for this cause was the drake drawn on all his weapons, that when he +was seen of men, all folk might know who went there; yea, all those who +had heard of his slaying of that great dragon, that the Voerings call +Fafnir, and for that cause are his weapons gold-wrought, and brown +of hue, and that he was by far above other men in courtesy and goodly +manners, and well-nigh in all things else; and whenas folk tell of all +the mightiest champions, and the noblest chiefs, then ever is he named +the foremost, and his name goes wide about on all tongues north of the +sea of the Greek-lands, and even so shall it be while the world endures. + +Now the hair of this Sigurd was golden-red of hue, fair of fashion, and +falling down in great locks; thick and short was his beard, and of no +other colour, high-nosed he was, broad and high-boned of face; so +keen were his eyes, that few durst gaze up under the brows of him; his +shoulders were as broad to look on as the shoulders of two; most duly +was his body fashioned betwixt height and breadth, and in such wise as +was seemliest; and this is the sign told of his height, that when he was +girt with his sword Gram, which same was seven spans long, as he went +through the full-grown rye-fields, the dew-shoe of the said sword smote +the ears of the standing corn; and, for all that, greater was his +strength than his growth: well could he wield sword, and cast forth +spear, shoot shaft, and hold shield, bend bow, back horse, and do all +the goodly deeds that he learned in his youth's days. + +Wise he was to know things yet undone; and the voice of all fowls he +knew, wherefore few things fell on him unawares. + +Of many words he was and so fair of speech withal, that whensoever he +made it his business to speak, he never left speaking before that to all +men it seemed full sure, that no otherwise must the matter be than as he +said. + +His sport and pleasure it was to give aid to his own folk, and to prove +himself in mighty matters, to take wealth from his unfriends, and give +the same to his friends. + +Never did he lose heart, and of naught was he adrad. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is nearly literally the same as chapter 166 of + the "Wilkinasaga"; Ed.: Perinskiold, Stockholm, 1715. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. Sigurd comes to Hlymdale. + +Forth Sigurd fides till he comes to a great and goodly dwelling, the +lord whereof was a mighty chief called Heimir; he had to wife a sister +of Brynhild, who was hight Bekkhild, because she had bidden at home, and +learned handicraft, whereas Brynhild fared with helm and byrny, unto the +wars, wherefore was she called Brynhild. + +Heimir and Bekkhild had a son called Alswid, the most courteous of men. + +Now at this stead were men disporting them abroad, but when they see +the man riding thereto, they leave their play to wonder at him, for none +such had they ever seen erst, so they went to meet him, and gave him +good welcome. Alswid bade him abide and have such things at his hands as +he would; and he takes his bidding blithesomely; due service withal was +established for him; four men bore the treasure of gold from off the +horse, and the fifth took it to him to guard the same; therein were many +things to behold, things of great price, and seldom seen; and great +game and joy men had to look on byrnies and helms, and mighty rings, and +wondrous great golden stoups, and all kinds of war weapons. + +So there dwelt Sigurd long in great honour holden; and tidings of that +deed of fame spread wide through all lands, of how he had slain that +hideous and fearful dragon. So good joyance had they there together, +and each was leal to other; and their sport was in the arraying of +their weapons, and the shafting of their arrows, and the flying of their +falcons. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. Sigurd sees Brynhild at Hlymdale. + +In those days came home to Heimir, Brynhild, his foster daughter, +and she sat in her bower with her maidens, and could do more skill in +handycraft than other women; she sat, overlaying cloth with gold, and +sewing therein the great deeds which Sigurd had wrought, the slaying of +the Worm, and the taking of the wealth of him, and the death of Regin +withal. + +Now tells the tale, that on a day Sigurd rode into the wood with hawk, +and hound, and men thronging; and whenas he came home his hawk flew up +to a high tower and sat him down on a certain window. Then fared Sigurd +after his hawk, and he saw where sat a fair woman, and knew that it was +Brynhild, and he deems all things he sees there to be worthy together, +both her fairness, and the fair things she wrought: and therewith he +goes into the hall, but has no more joyance in the games of the men +folk. + +Then spake Alswid, "Why art thou so bare of bliss; this manner of thine +grieveth us thy friends; why then wilt thou not hold to thy gleesome +ways? Lo, thy hawks pine now, and thy horse Grani droops; and long will +it be ere we are booted thereof?" + +Sigurd answered, "Good friend, hearken to what lies on my mind; for my +hawk flew up into a certain tower; and when I came thereto and took him, +lo there I saw a fair woman, and she sat by a needlework of gold, and +did thereon, my deeds that are passed, and my deeds that are to come." + +Then said Alswid, "Thou has seen Brynhild, Budli's daughter, the +greatest of great women." + +"Yea, verily," said Sigurd; "but how came she hither?" + +Aswid answered, "Short space there was betwixt the coming hither of the +twain of you." + +Says Sigurd, "Yea, but a few, days agone I knew her for the best of the +world's women." + +Alswid said, "Give not all thine heed to one woman, being such a man as +thou art; ill life to sit lamenting for what we may not have." + +"I shall go meet her," says Sigurd, "and get from her love like my love, +and give her a gold ring in token thereof." + +Alswid answered, "None has ever yet been known whom she would let sit +beside her, or to whom she would give drink; for ever will she hold to +warfare and to the winning of all kinds of fame." + +Sigurd said, "We know not for sure whether she will give us answer or +not, or grant us a seat beside her." + +So the next day after, Sigurd went to the bower, but Alswid stood +outside the bower door, fitting shafts to his arrows. + +Now Sigurd spake, "Abide, fair and hale lady,--how farest thou?" + +She answered, "Well it fares; my kin and my friends live yet: but who +shall say what goodhap folk may bear to their life's end?" + +He sat him down by her, and there came in four damsels with great golden +beakers, and the best of wine therein; and these stood before the twain. + +Then said Brynhild, "This seat is for few, but and if my father come." + +He answered, "Yet is it granted to one that likes me well." + +Now that chamber was hung with the best and fairest of hanging, and the +floor thereof was all covered with cloth. + +Sigurd spake, "Now has it come to pass even as thou didst promise." + +"O be thou welcome here!" said she, and arose there with, and the four +damsels with her, and bore the golden beaker to him, and bade him drink; +he stretched out his hand to the beaker, and took it, and her hand +withal, and drew her down beside him; and cast his arms round about her +neck and kissed her, and said-- + +"Thou art the fairest that was ever born!" + +But Brynhild said, "Ah, wiser is it not to cast faith and troth into a +woman's power, for ever shall they break that they have promised." + +He said, "That day would dawn the best of days over our heads whereon +each of each should be made happy." + +Brynhild answered, "It is not fated that we should abide together; I am +a shield-may, and wear helm on head even as the kings of war, and them +full oft I help, neither is the battle become loathsome to me." + +Sigurd answered, "What fruit shall be of our life, if we live not +together: harder to bear this pain that lies hereunder, than the stroke +of sharp sword." + +Brynhild answers, "I shall gaze on the hosts of the war kings, but thou +shalt wed Gudrun, the daughter of Giuki." + +Sigurd answered, "What king's daughter lives to beguile me? Neither am +I double-hearted herein; and now I swear by the Gods that thee shall I +have for mine own, or no woman else." + +And even suchlike wise spake she. + +Sigurd thanked her for her speech, and gave her a gold ring, and now +they swore oath anew, and so he went his ways to his men, and is with +them awhile in great bliss. + + + +CHAPTER XXV. Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter. + +There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the Rhine; +three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, and Gudrun +was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; and all these +children were far before all other king's children in all prowess, and +in goodliness and growth withal; ever were his sons at the wars +and wrought many a deed of fame. But Giuki had wedded Grimhild the +Wise-wife. + +Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty though they +both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli was a fierce man +and a grim, great and black to look on, yet noble of mien withal, and +the greatest of warriors. Grimhild was a fierce-heart woman. + +Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of those +children, so far before the sons of men. + +On a day Gudrun says to her mays that she may have no joy of heart; then +a certain woman asked her wherefore her joy was departed. + +She answered, "Grief came to me in my dreams, therefore is there sorrow +in my heart, since thou must needs ask thereof." + +"Tell it me, then, thy dream," said the woman, "for dreams oft forecast +but the weather." + +Gudrun answers, "Nay, nay, no weather is this; I dreamed that I had a +fair hawk on my wrist, feathered with feathers of gold." + +Says the woman, "Many have heard tell of thy beauty, thy wisdom, and thy +courtesy; some king's son abides thee, then." + +Gudrun answers, "I dreamed that naught was so dear to me as this hawk, +and all my wealth had I cast aside rather than him." + +The woman said, "Well, then, the man thou shalt have will be of the +goodliest, and well shalt thou love him." + +Gudrun answered, "It grieves me that I know not who he shall be; let us +go seek Brynhild, for she belike will wot thereof." + +So they arrayed them in gold and many a fair thing, and she went with +her damsels till they came to the hall of Brynhild, and that hall was +dight with gold, and stood on a high hill; and whenas their goings were +seen, it was told Brynhild, that a company of women drove toward the +burg in gilded waggons. + +"That shall be Gudrun, Giuki's daughter," says she: "I dreamed of her +last night; let us go meet her! No fairer woman may come to our house." + +So they went abroad to meet them, and gave them good greeting, and they +went into the goodly hall together; fairly painted it was within, and +well adorned with silver vessel; cloths were spread under the feet of +them, and all folk served them, and in many wise they sported. + +But Gudrun was somewhat silent. + +Then said Brynhild, "Ill to abash folk of their mirth; prithee do not +so; let us talk together for our disport of mighty kings and their great +deeds." + +"Good talk," says Gudrun, "let us do even so; what kings deemest thou to +have been the first of all men?" + +Brynhild says, "The sons of Haki, and Hagbard withal; they brought to +pass many a deed of fame in the warfare." + +Gudrun answers, "Great men certes, and of noble fame! Yet Sigar took +their one sister, and burned the other, house and all; and they may be +called slow to revenge the deed; why didst thou not name my brethren who +are held to be the first of men as at this time?" + +Brynhild says, "Men of good hope are they surely though but little +proven hitherto; but one I know far before them, Sigurd, the son of +Sigmund the king; a youngling was he in the days when he slew the sons +of Hunding, and revenged his father, and Eylimi, his mother's father." + +Said Gudrun, "By what token tellest thou that?" + +Brynhild answered, "His mother went amid the dead and found Sigmund the +king sore wounded, and would bind up his hurts; but he said he grew over +old for war; and bade her lay this comfort to her heart, that she should +bear the most famed of sons; and wise was the wise man's word therein: +for after the death of King Sigmund, she went to King Alf, and there was +Sigurd nourished in great honour, and day by day he wrought some deed of +fame, and is the man most renowned of all the wide world." + +Gudrun says, "From love hast thou gained these tidings of him; but for +this cause came I here, to tell thee dreams of mine which have brought +me great grief." + +Says Brynhild, "Let not such matters sadden thee: abide with thy friends +who wish thee blithesome, all of them!" + +"This I dreamed," said Gudrun, "that we went, a many of us in company, +from the bower, and we saw an exceeding great hart, that far excelled +all other deer ever seen, and the hair of him was golden; and this +deer we were all fain to take, but I alone got him; and he seemed to me +better than all things else; but sithence thou, Byrnhild, didst shoot +and slay my deer even at my very knees, and such grief was that to +me that scarce might I bear it; and then afterwards thou gavest me a +wolf-cub, which besprinkled me with the blood of my brethren." + +Brynhild answers, "I will arede thy dream, even as things shall come +to pass hereafter; for Sigurd shall come to thee, even he whom I have +chosen for my well-beloved; and Grimhild shall give him mead mingled +with hurtful things, which shall cast us all into mighty strife. Him +shalt thou have, and him shalt thou quickly miss; and Atli the king +shalt thou wed; and thy brethren shalt thou lose, and slay Atli withal +in the end." + +Dudrun answers, "Grief and woe to know that such things shall be!" + +And therewith she and hers get them gone home to King Giuki. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +Now Sigurd goes his ways with all that great treasure, and in friendly +wise he departs from them; and on Grani he rides with all his war-gear +and the burden withal; and thus he rides until he comes to the hall +of King Giuki; there he rides into the burg, and that sees one of the +king's men, and he spake withal-- + +"Sure it may be deemed that here is come one of the Gods, for his array +is all done with gold, and his horse is far mightier than other horses, +and the manner of his weapons is most exceeding goodly, and most of all +the man himself far excels all other men ever seen." + +So the king goes out with his court and greets the man, and asks-- + +"Who art thou who thus ridest into my burg, as none has durst hitherto +without the leave of my sons?" + +He answered, "I am called Sigurd, son of King Sigmund." + +Then said King Giuki, "Be thou welcome here then, and take at our hands +whatso thou wiliest." + +So he went into the king's hall, and all men seemed little beside him, +and all men served him, and there he abode in great joyance. + +Now oft they all ride abroad together, Sigurd and Gunnar and Hogni, +and ever is Sigurd far the foremost of them, mighty men of their hands +though they were. + +But Grimhild finds how heartily Sigurd loved Brynhild, and how oft he +talks of her; and she falls to thinking how well it were, if he might +abide there and wed the daughter of King Giuki, for she saw that none +might come anigh to his goodliness, and what faith and goodhelp there +was in him, and how that he had more wealth withal than folk might tell +of any man; and the king did to him even as unto his own sons, and they +for their parts held him of more worth than themselves. + +So on a night as they sat at the drink, the queen arose, and went before +Sigurd, and said-- + +"Great joy we have in thine abiding here, and all good things will +we put before thee to take of us; lo now, take this horn and drink +thereof." + +So he took it and drank, and therewithal she said, "Thy father shall be +Giuki the king, and I shall be thy mother, and Gunnar and Hogni shall be +thy brethren, and all this shall be sworn with oaths each to each; and +then surely shall the like of you never be found on earth." + +Sigurd took her speech well, for with the drinking of that drink all +memory of Brynhild departed from him. So there he abode awhile. + +And on a day went Grimhild to Giuki the king, and cast her arms about +his neck, and spake-- + +"Behold, there has now come to us the greatest of great hearts that the +world holds; and needs must he be trusty and of great avail; give him +thy daughter then, with plenteous wealth, and as much of rule as he +will; perchance thereby he will be well content to abide here ever." + +The king answered, "Seldom does it befall that kings offer their +daughters to any; yet in higher wise will it be done to offer her to +this man, than to take lowly prayers to her from others." + +On a night Gudrun pours out the drink, and Sigurd beholds her how fair +she is and how full of all courtesy. + +Five seasons Sigurd abode there, and ever they passed their days +together in good honour and friendship. + +And so it befell that the king held talk together, and Giuki said -- + +"Great good thou givest us, Sigurd, and with exceeding strength thou +strengthenest our realm." + +Then Gunnar said, "All things that may be will we do for thee, so thou +abidest here long; both dominion shall thou have, and our sister freely +and unprayed for, whom another man would not get for all his prayers." + +Sigurd says, "Thanks have ye for this wherewith; ye honour me, and +gladly will I take the same." + +Therewith they swore brotherhood together, and to be even as if they +were children of one father and one mother; and a noble feast was +holden, and endured many days, and Sigurd drank at the wedding of him +and Gudrun; and there might men behold all manner of game and glee, and +each day the feast was better and better. + +Now fare these folk wide over the world, and do many great deeds, and +slay many kings' sons, and no man has ever done such works of prowess as +did they; then home they come again with much wealth won in war. + +Sigurd gave of the serpent's heart to Gudrun, and she ate thereof, and +became greater-hearted, and wiser than ere before: and the son of these +twain was called Sigmund. + +Now on a time went Grimhild to Gunnar her son, and spake-- + +"Fair blooms the life and fortune of thee, but for one thing only, and +namely whereas thou art unwedded; go woo Brynhild; good rede is this, +and Sigurd will ride with thee." + +Gunnar answered, "Fair in she certes, and I am fain enow to win her;" +and therewith he tells his father, and his brethren, and Sigurd, and +they all prick him on to that wooing. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. The Wooing of Brynhild. + +Now they array them joyously for their journey, and ride over hill and +dale to the house of King Budli, and woo his daughter of him; in a good +wise he took their speech, if so be that she herself would not deny +them, but he said withal that so high-minded was she, that that man +only might wed her whom she would. + +Then they ride to Hlymdale, and there Heimir gave them good welcome; so +Gunnar tells his errand; Heimir says, that she must needs wed but him +whom she herself chose freely; and tells them how her abode was but a +little way thence, and that he deemed that him only would she have who +should ride through the flaming fire that was drawn round about her +hall; so they depart and come to the hall and the fire, and see there a +castle with a golden roof-ridge, and all round about a fire roaring up. + +Now Gunnar rode on Goti, but Hogni on Holkvi, and Gunnar smote his horse +to face the fire, but he shrank aback. + +Then said Sigurd, "Why givest thou back, Gunnar?" + +He answered, "The horse will not tread this fire; but lend me thy horse +Grani." + +"Yea, with all my good will," says Sigurd. + +Then Gunnar rides him at the fire, and yet nowise will Gram stir, nor +may Gunnar any the more ride through that fire. So now they change +semblance, Gunnar and Sigurd, even as Grimhild had taught them; then +Sigurd in the likeness of Gunnar mounts and rides, Gram in his hand, and +golden spurs on his heels; then leapt Grani into the fire when he felt +the spurs; and a mighty roar arose as the fire burned ever madder, and +the earth trembled, and the flames went up even unto the heavens, nor +had any dared to ride as he rode, even as it were through the deep mirk. + +But now the fire sank withal, and he leapt from his horse and went into +the hall, even as the song says-- + + "The flame flared at its maddest, + Earth's fields fell a-quaking + As the red flame aloft + Licked the lowest of heaven. + Few had been fain, + Of the rulers of folk, + To ride through that flame, + Or athwart it to tread. + + "Then Sigurd smote + Grani with sword, + And the flame was slaked + Before the king; + Low lay the flames + Before the fain of fame; + Bright gleamed the array + That Regin erst owned. + +Now when Sigurd had passed through the fire, he came into a certain fair +dwelling, and therein sat Brynhild. + +She asked, "What man is it?" + +Then he named himself Gunnar, son of Giuki, and said--"Thou art awarded +to me as my wife, by the good will and word of thy father and thy +foster-father, and I have ridden through the flame of thy fire, +according to thy that thou hast set forth." + +"I wot not clearly," said she, "how I shall answer thee." + +Now Sigurd stood upright on the hall floor, and leaning on the hilt of +his sword, and he spake to Brynhild-- + +"In reward thereof, shall I pay thee a great dower in gold and goodly +things?" + +She answered in heavy mood from her seat, whereas she sat like unto swan +on billow, having a sword in her hand and a helm on her head, and being +clad in a byrny, "O Gunnar," she says, "speak not to me of such things +unless thou be the first and best of all men; for then shall thou slay +those my wooers, if thou hast heart thereto; I have been in battles with +the king of the Greeks, and weapons were stained with red blood, and for +such things still I yearn." + +He answered, "Yea, certes many great deeds hast thou done; but yet call +thou to mind thine oath, concerning the riding through of this fire, +wherein thou didst swear that thou wouldst go with the man who should do +this deed." + +So she found that he spoke but the sooth, and she paid heed to his +words, and arose, and greeted him meetly, and he abode there three +nights, and they lay in one bed together; but he took the sword Gram and +laid it betwixt them: then she asked him why he laid it there; and he +answered, that in that wise must he needs wed his wife or else get his +bane. + +Then she took from off her the ring Andvari's loom, which he had given +her aforetime, and gave it to him, but he gave her another ring out of +Fafnir's hoard. + +Thereafter he rode away through the same fire unto his Fellows, and he +and Gunnar changed semblances again, and rode unto Hlymdale, and told +how it had gone with them. + +That same day went Brynhild home to her foster-father, and tells him +as one whom she trusted, how that there had come a king to her; "And he +rode through my flaming fire, and said he was come to woo me, and named +himself Gunnar; but I said that such a deed might Sigurd alone have +done, with whom I plighted troth on the mountain; and he is my first +troth-plight, and my well-beloved." + +Heimir said that things must needs abide even as now they had now come +to pass. + +Brynhild said, "Aslaug the daughter of me and Sigurd shall be nourished +here with thee." + +Now the kings fare home, but Brynhild goes to her father; Grimhild +welcomes the kings meetly, and thanks Sigurd for his fellowship; and +withal is a great feast made, and many were the guests thereat; and +thither came Budli the King with his daughter Brynhild, and his son +Atli, and for many days did the feast endure: and at that feast was +Gunnar wedded to Brynhild: but when it was brought to an end, once more +has Sigurd memory of all the oaths that he sware unto Brynhild, yet +withal he let all things abide in rest and peace. + +Brynhild and Gunnar sat together in great game and glee, and drank +goodly wine. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. How the Queens held angry converse together at the +Bathing. + +On a day as the Queens went to the river to bathe them, Brynhild waded +the farthest out into the river; then asked Gudrun what that deed might +signify. + +Brynhild said, "Yea, and why then should I be equal to thee in this +matter more than in others? I am minded to think that my father is +mightier than thine, and my true love has wrought many wondrous works of +fame, and hath ridden the flaming fire withal, while thy husband was but +the thrall of King Hjalprek." + +Gudrun answered full of wrath, "Thou wouldst be wise if thou shouldst +hold thy peace rather than revile my husband: lo now, the talk of all +men it is, that none has ever abode in this world like unto him in all +matters soever; and little it beseems thee of all folk to mock him who +was thy first beloved: and Fafnir he slew, yea, and he rode thy flaming +fire, whereas thou didst deem that he was Gunnar the King, and by thy +side he lay, and took from thine hand the ring Andvari's-loom;--here +mayst thou well behold it!" + +Then Brynhild saw the ring and knew it, and waxed as wan as a dead +woman, and she went home and spake no word the evening long. + +So when Sigurd came to bed to Gudrun she asked him why Brynhild's joy +was so departed. + +He answered, "I know not, but sore I misdoubt me that soon we shall know +thereof overwell." + +Gudrun said, "Why may she not love her life, having wealth and bliss, +and the praise of all men, and the man withal that she would have?" + +"Ah, yea!" said Sigurd, "and where in all the world was she then, when +she said that she deemed she had the noblest of all men, and the dearest +to her heart of all?" + +Gudrun answers, "Tomorn will I ask her concerning this, who is the +liefest to her of all men for a husband." + +Sigurd said, "Needs must I forbid thee this, and full surely wilt thou +rue the deed if thou doest it." + +Now the next morning they sat in the bower, and Brynhild was silent; +then spake Gudrun-- + +"Be merry, Brynhild! Grievest thou because of that speech of ours +together, or what other thing slayeth thy bliss?" + +Brynhild answers, "With naught but evil intent thou sayest this, for a +cruel heart thou hast." + +"Say not so," said Gudrun; "but rather tell me all the tale." + +Brynhild answers, "Ask such things only as are good for thee to +know--matters meet for mighty dames. Good to love good things when all +goes according to thy heart's desire!" + +Gudrun says, "Early days for me to glory in that; but this word of thine +looketh toward some foreseeing. What ill dost thou thrust at us? I did +naught to grieve thee." + +Brynhild answers, "For this shalt thou pay, in that thou hast got Sigurd +to thee,--nowise can I see thee living in the bliss thereof, whereas +thou hast him, and the wealth and the might of him." + +But Gudrun answered, "Naught knew I of your words and vows together; and +well might my father look to the mating of me without dealing with thee +first." + +"No secret speech had we," quoth Brynhild, "though we swore oath +together; and full well didst thou know that thou wentest about to +beguile me; verily thou shalt have thy reward!" + +Says Gudrun, "Thou art mated better than thou are worthy of; but thy +pride and rage shall be hard to slake belike, and there for shall many a +man pay." + +"Ah, I should be well content," said Brynhild, "if thou hadst not the +nobler man!" + +Gudrun answers, "So noble a husband hast thou, that who knows of a +greater king or a lord of more wealth and might?" + +Says Brynhild, "Sigurd slew Fafnir, and that only deed is of more worth +than all the might of King Gunnar." + +(Even as the song says)-- + + "The worm Sigurd slew, + Nor ere shall that deed + Be worsened by age + While the world is alive. + But thy brother the King + Never durst, never bore + The flame to ride down + Through the fire to fare." + +Gudrun answers, "Grani would not abide the fire under Gunnar the King, +but Sigurd durst the deed, and thy heart may well abide without mocking +him." + +Brynhild answers, "Nowise will I hide from thee that I deem no good of +Grimhild." + +Says Gudrun, "Nay, lay no ill words on her, for in all things she is to +thee as to her own daughter." + +"Ah," says Brynhild, "she is the beginning of all this hale that biteth +so; an evil drink she bare to Sigurd, so that he had no more memory of +my very name." + +"All wrong thou talkest; a lie without measure is this," quoth Gudrun. + +Brynhild answered, "Have thou joy of Sigurd according to the measure of +the wiles wherewith ye have beguiled me! Unworthily have ye conspired +against me; may all things go with you as my heart hopes!" + +Gudrun says, "More joy shall I have of him than thy wish would give unto +me: but to no man's mind it came, that he had aforetime his pleasure of +me; nay not once." + +"Evil speech thou speakest," says Brynhild; "when thy wrath runs off +thou wilt rue it; but come now, let us no more cast angry words one at +the other!" + +Says Gudrun, "Thou wert the first to cast such words at me, and now thou +makest as if thou wouldst amend it, but a cruel and hard heart abides +behind." + +"Let us lay aside vain babble," says Brynhild. "Long did I hold my peace +concerning my sorrow of heart, and, lo now, thy brother alone do I love; +let us fall to other talk." + +Gudrun said, "Far beyond all this doth thine heart look." + +And so ugly ill befell from that going to the river, and that knowing of +the ring, wherefrom did all their talk arise. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. Of Brynhild's great Grief and Mourning. + +After this talk Brynhild lay a-bed, and tidings were brought to King +Gunnar that Brynhild was sick; he goes to see her thereon, and asks what +ails her; but she answered him naught, but lay there as one dead: and +when he was hard on her for an answer, she said-- + +"What didst thou with that ring that I gave thee, even the one which +King Budli gave me at our last parting, when thou and King Giuki came to +him and threatened fire and the sword, unless ye had me to wife? Yea, at +that time he led me apart, and asked me which I had chosen of those who +were come; but I prayed him that I might abide to ward the land and be +chief over the third part of his men; then were there two choices for me +to deal betwixt either that I should be wedded to him whom he would, or +lose all my weal and friendship at his hands; and he said withal that +his friendship would be better to me than his wrath: then I bethought me +whether I should yield to his will, or slay many a man; and therewithal +I deemed that it would avail little to strive with him, and so it fell +out, that I promised to wed whomsoever should ride the horse Grani with +Fafnir's Hoard, and ride through my flaming fire, and slay those men +whom I called on him to slay, and now so it was, that none durst ride, +save Sigurd only, because he lacked no heart thereto; yea, and the Worm +he flew, and Regin, and five kings beside; but thou, Gunnar, durst do +naught; as pale as a dead man didst thou wax, and no king thou art, +and no champion; so whereas I made a vow unto my father, that him alone +would I love who was the noblest man alive, and that this is none save +Sigurd, lo, now have I broken my oath and brought it to naught, since +he is none of mine, and for this cause shall I compass thy death; and a +great reward of evil things have I wherewith to reward Grimhild;--never, +I wot, has woman lived eviler or of lesser heart than she." + +Gunnar answered in such wise that few might hear him, "Many a vile +word hast thou spoken, and an evil-hearted woman art thou, whereas thou +revilest a woman far better than thou; never would she curse her life +as thou dost; nay, nor has she tormented dead folk, or murdered any; but +lives her life well praised of all." + +Brynhild answered, "Never have I dwelt with evil things privily, or done +loathsome deeds;--yet most fain I am to slay thee." + +And therewith would she slay King Gunnar, but Hogni laid her in fetters; +but then Gunnar spake withal-- + +"Nay, I will not that she abide in fetters." + +Then said she, "Heed it not! For never again seest thou me glad in thine +hall, never drinking, never at the chess-play, never speaking the words +of kindness, never over-laying the fair cloths with gold, never giving +thee good counsel;--ah, my sorrow of heart that I might not get Sigurd +to me!" + +Then she sat up and smote her needlework, and rent it asunder, and bade +set open her bower doors, that far away might the wailings of her sorrow +be heard; then great mourning and lamentation there was, so that folk +heard far and wide through that abode. + +Now Gudrun asked her bower-maidens why they sat so joyless and downcast. +"What has come to you, that ye fare ye as witless women, or what +unheard-of wonders have befallen you?" + +Then answered a waiting lady, hight Swaflod, "An untimely, an evil day +it is, and our hall is fulfilled of lamentation." + +Then spake Gudrun to one of her handmaids, "Arise, for we have slept +long; go, wake Brynhild, and let us fall to our needlework and be +merry." + +"Nay, nay," she says, "nowise may I wake her, or talk with her; for many +days has she drunk neither mead nor wine; surely the wrath of the Gods +has fallen upon her." + +Then spake Gudrun to Gunnar, "Go and see her," she says, "and bid her +know that I am grieved with her grief." + +"Nay," says Gunnar, "I am forbid to go see her or to share her weal." + +Nevertheless he went unto her, and strives in many wise to have speech +of her, but gets no answer whatsoever; therefore he gets him gone and +finds Hogni, and bids him go see her: he said he was loth thereto, but +went, and gat no more of her. + +Then they go and find Sigurd, and pray him to visit her; he answered +naught thereto, and so matters abode for that night. + +But the next day, when he came home from hunting, Sigurd went to Gudrun, +and spake-- + +"In such wise do matters show to me, as though great and evil things +will betide from this trouble and upheaving; and that Brynhild will +surely die." + +Gudrun answers, "O my lord, by great wonders is she encompassed, seven +days and seven nights has she slept, and none has dared wake her." + +"Nay, she sleeps not," said Sigurd, "her heart is dealing rather with +dreadful intent against me." + +Then said Gudrun, weeping, "Woe worth the while for thy death! Go and +see her; and wot if her fury may not be abated; give her gold, and +smother up her grief and anger therewith!" + +Then Sigurd went out, and found the door of Brynhild's chamber open; he +deemed she slept, and drew the clothes from off her, and said-- + +"Awake, Brynhild! The sun shineth now over all the house, and thou hast +slept enough; cast off grief from thee, and take up gladness!" + +She said, "And how then hast thou dared to come to me? In this treason +none was worse to me than thou." + +Said Sigurd, "Why wilt thou not speak to folk? For what cause sorrowest +thou?" + +Brynhild answers, "Ah, to thee will I tell of my wrath!" + +Sigurd said, "As one under a spell art thou, if thou deemest that there +is aught cruel in my heart against thee; but thou hast him for husband +whom thou didst choose." + +"Ah, nay," she said, "never did Gunnar ride through the fire to me, nor +did he give me to dower the host of the slain: I wondered at the man +who came into my hall; for I deemed indeed that I knew thine eyes; but I +might not see clearly, or divide the good from the evil, because of the +veil that lay heavy on my fortune." + +Says Sigurd, "No nobler men are there than the sons of Giuki, they slew +the king of the Danes, and that great chief, the brother of King Budli." + +Brynhild answered, "Surely for many an ill-deed must I reward them; mind +me not of my griefs against them! But thou, Sigurd, slewest the Worm, +and rodest the fire through; yea, and for my sake, and not one of the +sons of King Giuki." + +Sigurd answers, "I am not thy husband, and thou art not my wife; yet did +a farfamed king pay dower to thee." + +Says Brynhild, "Never looked I at Gunnar in such a wise that my heart +smiled on him; and hard and fell am I to him, though I hide it from +others." + +"A marvellous thing," says Sigurd, "not to love such a king; what angers +thee most? For surely his love should be better to thee than gold." + +"This is the sorest sorrow to me," she said, "that the bitter sword is +not reddened in thy blood." + +"Have no fear thereof!" says he, "no long while to wait or the bitter +sword stand deep in my heart; and no worse needest thou to pray for +thyself, for thou wilt not live when I am dead; the days of our two +lives shall be few enough from henceforth." + +Brynhild answers, "Enough and to spare of bale is in thy speech, since +thou bewrayedst me, and didst twin (1) me and all bliss;--naught do I +heed my life or death." + +Sigurd answers, "Ah, live, and love King Gunnar and me withal! And all +my wealth will I give thee if thou die not." + +Brynhild answers, "Thou knowest me not, nor the heart that is in me; +for thou art the first and best of all men, and I am become the most +loathsome of all woman to thee." + +"This is truer," says Sigurd, "that I loved thee better than myself, +though I fell into the wiles from whence our lives may not escape; for +whenso my own heart and mind availed me, then I sorrowed sore that thou +wert not my wife; but as I might I put my trouble from me, for in a +king's dwelling was I; and withal and in spite of all I was well content +that we were all together. Well may it be, that that shall come to pass +which is foretold; neither shall I fear the fulfilment thereof." + +Brynhild answered, and said, "Too late thou tellest me that my grief +grieved thee: little pity shall I find now." + +Sigurd said, "This my heart would, that thou and I should go into one +bed together; even so wouldst thou be my wife." + +Said Brynhild, "Such words may nowise be spoken, nor will I have two +kings in one hall; I will lay my life down rather than beguile Gunnar +the King." + +And therewith she call to mind how they met, they two, on the mountain, +and swore oath each to each. + +"But now is all changed and I will not live." + +"I might not call to mind thy name," said Sigurd, "or know time again, +before the time of thy wedding; the greatest of all griefs is that." + +Then said Brynhild, "I swore an oath to wed the man who should ride my +flaming fire, and that oath will I hold to, or die." + +"Rather than thou die, I will wed thee, and put away Gudrun." said +Sigurd. + +But therewithal so swelled the heart betwixt the sides of him, that the +rings of his byrny burst asunder. + +"I will not have thee," says Brynhild, "nay, nor any other!" + +Then Sigurd got him gone. + +So saith the song of Sigurd-- + + "Out then went Sigurd, + The great kings' well-loved, + From the speech and the sorrow, + Sore drooping, so grieving, + That the shirt round about him + Of iron tings woven, + From the sides brake asunder + Of the brave in the battle." + +So when Sigurd came into the hall, Gunnar asked if he had come to a +knowledge of what great grief lay heavy on her, or if she had power of +speech: and Sigurd said that she lacked it not. So now Gunnar goes +to her again, and asked her, what wrought her woe, or if there were +anything that might amend it. + +"I will not live," says Brynhild, "for Sigurd has bewrayed me, yea, +and thee no less, whereas thou didst suffer him to come into my bed: +lo thou, two men in one dwelling I will not have; and this shall be +Sigurd's death, or thy death, or my death;--for now has he told Gudrun +all, and she is mocking me even now!" + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Sunder. + + + +CHAPTER XXX. Of the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + +Thereafter Brynhild went out, and sat under her bower-wall, and had +many words of wailing to say, and still she cried that all things were +loathsome to her, both land and lordship alike, so she might not have +Sigurd. + +But therewith came Gunnar to her yet again, and Brynhild spake, "Thou +shalt lose both realm and wealth, and thy life and me, for I shall fare +home to my kin, and abide there in sorrow, unless thou slayest Sigurd +and his son; never nourish thou a wolfcub." + +Gunnar grew sick at heart thereat, and might nowise see what fearful +thing lay beneath it all; he was bound to Sigurd by oath, and this way +and that way swung the heart within him; but at the last he bethought +him of the measureless shame if his wife went from him, and he said +within himself, "Brynhild is better to me than all things else, and the +fairest woman of all women, and I will lay down my life rather than lose +the love of her." And herewith he called to him his brother and spake,-- + +"Trouble is heavy on me," and he tells him that he must needs slay +Sigurd, for that he has failed him where in he trusted him; "so let us +be lords of the gold and the realm withal." + +Hogni answers, "Ill it behoves us to break our oaths with wrack and +wrong, and withal great aid we have in him; no kings shall be as +great as we, if so be the King of the Hun-folk may live; such another +brother-in-law never may we get again; bethink thee how good it is to +have such a brother-in-law, and such sons to our sister! But well I see +how things stand, for this has Brynhild stirred thee up to, and surely +shall her counsel drag us into huge shame and scathe." + +Gunnar says, "Yet shall it be brought about: and, lo, a rede +thereto;--let us egg on our brother Guttorm to the deed; he is young, +and of little knowledge, and is clean out of all the oaths moreover." + +"Ah, set about in ill wise," says Hogni, "and though indeed it may well +be compassed, a due reward shall we gain for the bewrayal of such a man +as is Sigurd." + +Gunnar says, "Sigurd shall die, or I shall die." + +And therewith he bids Brynhild arise and be glad at heart: so she arose, +and still ever she said that Gunnar should come no more into her bed +till the deed was done. + +So the brothers fall to talk, and Gunnar says that it is a deed well +worthy of death, that taking of Brynhild's maidenhead; "So come now, let +us prick on Guttorm to do the deed." + +Therewith they call him to them, and offer him gold and great dominion, +as they well have might to do. Yea, and they took a certain worm and +somewhat of wolf's flesh and let seethe them together, and gave him to +eat of the same, even as the singer sings-- + + "Fish of the wild-wood, + Worm smooth crawling, + With wolf-meat mingled, + They minced for Guttorm; + Then in the beaker, + In the wine his mouth knew, + They set it, still doing + More deeds of wizards. + +Wherefore with the eating of this meat he grew so wild and eager, and +with all things about him, and with the heavy words of Grimhild, that +he gave his word to do the deed; and mighty honour they promised him in +reward thereof. + +But of these evil wiles naught at all knew Sigurd, for he might not deal +with his shapen fate, nor the measure of his life-days, neither deemed +he that he was worthy such things at their hands. + +So Guttorm went in to Sigurd the next morning as he lay upon his bed, +yet durst he not do aught against him, but shrank back out again; yea, +and even so he fared a second time, for so bright and eager were the +eyes of Sigurd that few durst look upon him. But the third time he went +in, and there lay Sigurd asleep; then Guttorm drew his sword and thrust +Sigurd through in such wise that the sword point smote into the bed +beneath him; then Sigurd awoke with that wound, and Guttorm gat him unto +the door; but therewith Sigurd caught up the sword Gram, and cast it +after him, and it smote him on the back, and struck him asunder in the +midst, so that the feet of him fell one way, and the head and hands back +into the chamber. + +Now Gudrun lay asleep on Sigurd's bosom, but she woke up unto woe that +may not be told of, all swimming in the blood of him, and in such wise +did she bewail her with weeping and words of sorrow, that Sigurd rose up +on the bolster, and spake. + +"Weep not," said he, "for thy brothers live for thy delight; but a young +son have I, too young to be ware of his foes; and an ill turn have these +played against their own fortune; for never will they get a mightier +brother-in-law to ride abroad with them; nay, nor a better son to their +sister, than this one, if he may grow to man's estate. Lo, now is that +come to pass which was foretold me long ago, but from mine eyes has it +been hidden, for none may fight against his fate and prevail. Behold +this has Brynhild brought to pass, even she who loves me before all +men; but this may I swear, that never have I wrought ill to Gunnar, but +rather have ever held fast to my oath with him, nor was I ever too much +a friend to his wife. And now if I had been forewarned, and had been +afoot with my weapons, then should many a man have lost his life or +ever I had fallen, and all those brethren should have been slain, and +a harder work would the slaying of me have been than the slaying of the +mightiest bull or the mightiest boar of the wild-wood." + +And even therewithal life left the King; but Gudrun moaned and drew +a weary breath, and Brynhild heard it and laughed when she heard her +moaning. + +Then said Gunnar, "Thou laughest not because thy heart-roots are +gladdened, or else why doth thy visage wax so wan? Sure an evil creature +thou art; most like thou art nigh to thy death! Lo now, how meet would +it be for thee to behold thy brother Atli slain before thine eyes, and +that thou shouldst stand over him dead; whereas we must needs now +stand over our brother-in-law in such a case our brother-in-law and our +brother's bane." + +She answered, "None need mock at the measure of slaughter being +unfulfilled; yet heedeth not Atli your wrath or your threats; yea, he +shall live longer than ye, and be a mightier man." + +Hogni spake and said, "Now hath come to pass the soothsaying of +Brynhild; an ill work not to be atoned for." + +And Gudrun said, "My kinsmen have slain my husband; but ye, when ye next +ride to the war and are come into the battle, then shall ye look about +and see that Sigurd is neither on the fight hand nor the left, and ye +shall know that he was your good-hap and your strength; and if he +had lived and had sons, then should ye have been strengthened by his +offspring and his kin." + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd's dead, as it is +told told in ancient Songs. (1) + + Gudrun of old days + Drew near to dying + As she sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Yet she sighed not + Nor smote hand on hand, + Nor wailed she aught + As other women. + + Then went earls to her. + Full of all wisdom, + Fain help to deal + To her dreadful heart: + Hushed was Gudrun + Of wail, or greeting, + But with a heavy woe + Was her heart a-breaking. + + Bright and fair + Sat the great earls' brides, + Gold arrayed + Before Gudrun; + Each told the tale + Of her great trouble, + The bitterest bale + She erst abode. + + Then spake Giaflaug, + Giuki's sister: + "Lo upon earth + I live most loveless + Who of five mates + Must see the ending, + Of daughters twain + And three sisters, + Of brethren eight, + And abide behind lonely." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail and greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Herborg + Queen of Hunland-- + "Crueller tale + Have I to tell of, + Of my seven sons + Down in the Southlands, + And the eighth man, my mate, + Felled in the death-mead. + + "Father and mother, + And four brothers, + On the wide sea + The winds and death played with; + The billows beat + On the bulwark boards. + + "Alone must I sing o'er them, + Alone must I array them, + Alone must my hands deal with + Their departing; + And all this was + In one season's wearing, + And none was left + For love or solace. + + "Then was I bound + A prey of the battle, + When that same season + Wore to its ending; + As a tiring may + Must I bind the shoon + Of the duke's high dame, + Every day at dawning. + + "From her jealous hate + Gat I heavy mocking, + Cruel lashes + She laid upon me, + Never met I + Better master + Or mistress worser + In all the wide world." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail or greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "O foster-mother, + Wise as thou mayst be, + Naught canst thou better + The young wife's bale." + And she bade uncover + The dead King's corpse. + + She swept the sheet + Away from Sigurd, + And turned his cheek + Towards his wife's knees-- + "Look on thy loved one + Lay lips to his lips, + E'en as thou wert clinging + To thy king alive yet!" + + Once looked Gudrun-- + One look only, + And saw her lord's locks + Lying all bloody, + The great man's eyes + Glazed and deadly, + And his heart's bulwark + Broken by sword-edge. + + Back then sank Gudrun, + Back on the bolster, + Loosed was her head array, + Red did her cheeks grow, + And the rain-drops ran + Down over her knees. + + Then wept Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + So that the tears flowed + Through the pillow; + As the geese withal + That were in the homefield, + The fair fowls the may owned, + Fell a-screaming. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Surely knew I + No love like your love + Among all men, + On the mould abiding; + Naught wouldst thou joy in + Without or within doors, + O my sister, + Save beside Sigurd." + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Such was my Sigurd + Among the sons of Giuki, + As is the king leek + O'er the low grass waxing, + Or a bright stone + Strung on band, + Or a pearl of price + On a prince's brow. + + "Once was I counted + By the king's warriors + Higher than any + Of Herjan's mays; + Now am I as little + As the leaf may be, + Amid wind-swept wood + Now when dead he lieth. + + I miss from my seat, + I miss from my bed, + My darling of sweet speech. + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + This sore sorrow, + Yea, for their sister, + Most sore sorrow. + + "So may your lands + Lie waste on all sides, + As ye have broken + Your bounden oaths! + Ne'er shalt thou, Gunnar, + The gold have joy of; + The dear-bought rings + Shall drag thee to death, + Whereon thou swarest + Oath unto Sigurd. + + Ah, in the days by-gone + Great mirth in the homefield + When my Sigurd + Set saddle on Grani, + And they went their ways + For the wooing of Brynhild! + An ill day, an ill woman, + And most ill hap!" + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter-- + "May the woman lack + Both love and children, + Who gained greeting + For thee, O Gudrun! + Who gave thee this morning + Many words!" + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter-- + "Hold peace of such words + Thou hated of all folk! + The bane of brave men + Hast thou been ever, + All waves of ill + Wash over thy mind, + To seven great kings + Hast thou been a sore sorrow, + And the death of good will + To wives and women." + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter-- + "None but Atli + Brought bale upon us, + My very brother + Born of Budli. + + When we saw in the hall + Of the Hunnish people + The gold a-gleaming + On the kingly Giukings; + I have paid for that faring + Oft and Full, + And for the sight + That then I saw." + + By a pillar she stood + And strained its wood to her; + From the eyes of Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Flashed out fire, + And she snorted forth venom, + As the sore wounds she gazed on + Of the dead-slain Sigurd. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This chapter is the Eddaic poem, called the first Lay of + Gudrun, inserted here by the translators. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. Of the Ending of Brynhild. + +And now none might know for what cause Brynhild must bewail with weeping +for what she had prayed for with laughter: but she spake-- + +"Such a dream I had, Gunnar, as that my bed was acold, and that thou +didst ride into the hands of thy foes: lo now, ill shall it go with thee +and all thy kin, O ye breakers of oaths; for on the day thou slayedst +him, dimly didst thou remember how thou didst blend thy blood with the +blood of Sigurd, and with an ill reward hast thou rewarded him for all +that he did well to thee; whereas he gave unto thee to be the mightiest +of men; and well was it proven how fast he held to his oath sworn, when +he came to me and laid betwixt us the sharp-edged sword that in venom +had been made hard. All too soon did ye fall to working wrong against +him and against me, whenas I abode at home with my father, and had all +that I would, and had no will that any one of you should be any of mine, +as ye rode into our garth, ye three kings together; but then Atli led me +apart privily, and asked me if I would not have him who rode Grani; yea, +a man nowise like unto you; but in those days I plighted myself to the +son of King Sigmund and no other; and lo, now, no better shall ye fare +for the death of me." + +Then rose up Gunnar, and laid his arms about her neck, and besought her +to live and have wealth from him; and all others in likewise letted her +from dying; but she thrust them all from her, and said that it was not +the part of any to let her in that which was her will. + +Then Gunnar called to Hogni, and prayed him for counsel, and bade him go +to her, and see if he might perchance soften her dreadful heart, saying +withal, that now they had need enough on their hands in the slaking of +her grief, till time might get over. + +But Hogni answered, "Nay, let no man hinder her from dying; for no gain +will she be to us, nor has she been gainsome since she came hither! + +Now she bade bring forth much gold, and bade all those come thither who +would have wealth: then she caught up a sword, and thrust it under her +armpit, and sank aside upon the pillows, and said, "Come, take gold +whoso will!" + +But all held their peace, and she said, "Take the gold, and be glad +thereof!" + +And therewith she spake unto Gunnar, "Now for a little while will I tell +of that which shall come to pass hereafter; for speedily shall ye be +at one again with Gudrun by the rede of Grimhild the Wise-wife; and the +daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd shall be called Swanhild, the fairest of +all women born. Gudrun shall be given to Atli, yet not with her good +will. Thou shalt be fain to get Oddrun, but that shall Atli forbid thee; +but privily shall ye meet, and much shall she love thee. Atli shall +bewray thee, and cast thee into a worm-close, and thereafter shall Atli +and his Sons be slain, and Gudrun shall be their slayer; and afterwards +shall the great waves bear her to the burg of King Jonakr, to whom she +shall bear sons of great fame: Swanhild shall be sent from the land +and given to King Jormunrek; and her shall bite the rede of Bikki, and +therewithal is the kin of you clean gone; and more sorrow therewith for +Gudrun. + +"And now I pray thee, Gunnar, one last boon.--Let make a great bale on +the plain meads for all of us; for me and for Sigurd, and for those who +were slain with him, and let that be covered over with cloth dyed red by +the folk of the Gauls, (1) and burn me thereon on one side of the King +of the Huns, and on the other those men of mine, two at the head and two +at the feet, and two hawks withal; and even so is all shared equally; +and lay there betwixt us a drawn sword, as in the other days when we +twain stepped into one bed together; and then may we have the name of +man and wife, nor shall the door swing to at the heel of him as I go +behind him. Nor shall that be a niggard company if there follow him +those five bond-women and eight bondmen, whom my father gave me, and +those burn there withal who were slain with Sigurd. + +"Now more yet would I say, but for my wounds, but my life-breath flits; +the wounds open,--yet have I said sooth." + +Now is the dead corpse of Sigurd arrayed in olden wise, and a mighty +bale is raised, and when it was somewhat kindled, there was laid thereon +the dead corpse of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and his son of three winters +whom Brynhild had let slay, and Guttorm withal; and when the bale was +all ablaze, thereunto was Brynhild borne out, when she had spoken with +her bower-maidens, and bid them take the gold that she would give; and +then died Brynhild, and was burned there by the side of Sigurd, and thus +their life-days ended. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "raudu manna blodi", red-dyed in the blood + of men; the Sagaman's original error in dealing with the + word "Valaript" in the corresponding passage of the short + lay of Sigurd.--Tr. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. Gudrun wedded to Alii. + +Now so it is, that whoso heareth these tidings sayeth, that no such an +one as was Sigurd was left behind him in the world, nor ever was such a +man brought forth because of all the worth of him, nor may his name ever +minish by eld in the Dutch Tongue nor in all the Northern Lands, while +the world standeth fast. + +The story tells that, on a day, as Gudrun sat in her bower, she fell to +saying, "Better was life in those days when I had Sigurd; he who was far +above other men as gold is above iron, or the leek over other grass +of the field, or the hart over other wild things; until my brethren +begrudged me such a man, the first and best of all men; and so they +might not sleep or they had slain him. Huge clamour made Grani when he +saw his master and lord sore wounded, and then I spoke to him even as +with a man, but he fell drooping down to the earth, for he knew that +Sigurd was slain." + +Thereafter Gudrun gat her gone into the wild woods, and heard on all +ways round about her the howling of wolves, and deemed death a merrier +thing than life. Then she went till she came to the hall of King Alf, +and sat there in Denmark with Thora, the daughter of Hakon, for seven +seasons, and abode with good welcome. And she set forth her needlework +before her and did thereinto many deeds and great, and fair plays after +the fashion of those days, swords and byrnies, and all the gear of +kings, and the ship of King Sigmund sailing along the land; yea, and +they wrought there how they fought, Sigar and Siggeir, south in Fion. +Such was their disport; and now Gudrun was somewhat solaced of her +grief. + +So Grimhild comes to hear where Gudrun has take up her abode, and +she calls her sons to talk with her, and asks whether they will make +atonement to Gudrun for her son and her husband, and said that it was +but meet and right to do so. + +Then Gunnar spake, and said that he would atone for her sorrows with +gold. + +So they send for their friends, and array their horses, their helms, +and their shields, and their byrnies, and all their war-gear; and their +journey was furnished forth in the noblest wise, and no champion who +was of the great men might abide at home; and their horses were clad in +mail-coats, and every knight of them had his helm done over with gold or +with silver. + +Grimhild was of their company, for she said that their errand would +never be brought fairly to pass if she sat at home. + +There were well five hundred men, and noble men rode with them. There +was Waldemar of Denmark, and Eymod and Jarisleif withal. So they went +into the hall of King Alf, and there abode them the Longbeards and +Franks, and Saxons: they fared with all their war-gear, and had over +them red fur-coats. Even as the song says-- + + "Byrnies short cut, + Strong helms hammered, + Girt with good swords, + Red hair gleaming." + +They were fain to choose good gifts for their sister, and spake softly +to her, but in none of them would she trow. Then Gunnar brought unto her +a drink mingled with hurtful things, and this she must needs drink, and +with the king thereof she had no more memory of their guilt against her. + +But in that drink was blended the might of the earth and the sea with +the blood of her son; and in that horn were all letters cut and reddened +with blood, as is said hereunder-- + + "On the horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that beer were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood + And brown-burnt acorns, + The black dew of the hearth, + The God-doomed dead beast's inwards, + And the swine's liver sodden + Because all wrongs that deadens. + +And so now, when their hearts are-brought anigh to each other, great +cheer they made: then came Grimhild to Gudrun, and spake. + +"All hail to thee, daughter! I give thee gold and all kinds of good +things to take to thee after thy father, dear bought rings and bed-gear +of the maids of the Huns, the most courteous and well dight of all +women; and thus is thy husband atoned for: and thereafter shalt thou be +given to Atli, the mighty king, and be mistress of all his might. Cast +not all thy friends aside for one man's sake, but do according to our +bidding." + +Gudrun answers, "Never will I wed Atli the King; unseemly it is for us +to get offspring betwixt us." + +Grimhild says, "Nourish not thy wrath; it shall be to thee as if Sigurd +and Sigmund were alive when thou hast borne sons." + +Gudrun says, "I cannot take my heart from thoughts of him, for he was +the first of all men." + +Grimhild says, "So it is shapen that thou must have this king and none +else." + +Says Gudrun, "Give not this man to me, for an evil thing shall come +upon thy kin from him, and to his own sons shall he deal evil, and be +rewarded with a grim revenge thereafter." + +Then waxed Grimhild fell at those words, and spake, "Do even as we +bid thee, and take therefore great honour, and our friendship, and the +steads withal called Vinbjorg and Valbjorg." + +And such might was in the words of her, that even so must it come to +pass. + +Then Gudrun spake, "Thus then must it needs befall, howsoever against +the will of me, and for little joy shall it be and for great grief." + +Then men leaped on their horses, and their women were set in wains. So +they fared four days a-riding and other four a-shipboard, and yet four +more again by land and road, till at the last they came to a certain +high-built hall; then came to meet Gudrun many folk thronging; and +an exceedingly goodly feast was there made, even as the word had gone +between either kin, and it passed forth in most proud and stately wise. +And at that feast drinks Atli his bridal with Gudrun, but never did her +heart laugh on him, and little sweet and kind was their life together. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. Atli bids the Giukings to him. + +Now tells the tale that on a night King Atli woke from sleep and spake +to Gudrun-- + +"Medreamed," said he, "that thou didst thrust me through with a sword." + +Then Gudrun areded the dream, and said that it betokened fire, whenas +folk dreamed of iron. "It befalls of thy pride belike, in that thou +deemest thyself the first of men." + +Atli said, "Moreover I dreamed that here waxed two sorb-tree (1) +saplings, and fain I was that they should have no scathe of me; then +these were riven up by the roots and reddened with blood, and borne to +the bench, and I was bidden eat thereof. + +"Yea, yet again I dreamed that two hawks flew from my hand hungry and +unfed, and fared to hell, and meseemed their hearts were mingled with +honey, and that I ate thereof. + +"And then again I dreamed that two fair whelps lay before me yelling +aloud, and that the flesh of them I ate, though my will went not with +the eating." + +Gudrun says, "Nowise good are these dreams, yet shall they come to pass; +surely thy sons are nigh to death, and many heavy things shall fall upon +us." + +"Yet again I dreamed," said he, "and methought I lay in a bath, and folk +took counsel to slay me." + +Now these things wear away with time, but in nowise was their life +together fond. + +Now falls Atli to thinking of where may be gotten that plenteous gold +which Sigurd had owned, but King Gunnar and his brethren were lords +thereof now. + +Atli was a great king and mighty, wise, and a lord of many men; and now +he falls to counsel with his folk as to the ways of them. He wotted well +that Gunnar and his brethren had more wealth than any others might have, +and so he falls to the rede of sending men to them, and bidding them +to a great feast, and honouring them in diverse wise, and the chief of +those messengers was hight Vingi. + +Now the queen wots of their conspiring, and misdoubts her that this +would mean some beguiling of her brethren: so she cut runes, and took a +gold ring, and knit therein a wolf's hair, and gave it into the hands of +the king's messengers. + +Thereafter they go their ways according to the king's bidding: and or +ever they came aland Vingi beheld the runes, and turned them about in +such wise as if Gudrun prayed her brethren in her runes to go meet King +Atli. + +Thereafter they came to the hall of King Gunnar, and had good welcome at +his hands, and great fires were made for them, and in great joyance they +drank of the best of drink. + +Then spake Vingi, "King Atli sends me hither, and is fain that ye go +to his house and home in all glory, and take of him exceeding honours, +helms and shields, swords and byrnies, gold and goodly raiment, horses, +hosts of war, and great and wide lands, for, saith he, he is fainest of +all things to bestow his realm and lordship upon you." + +Then Gunnar turned his head aside, and spoke to Hogni-- + +"In what wise shall we take this bidding? Might and wealth he bids us +take; but no kings know I who have so much gold as we have, whereas +we have all the hoard which lay once on Gnitaheath; and great are our +chambers, and full of gold, and weapons for smiting, and all kinds of +raiment of war, and well I wot that amidst all men my horse is the best, +and my sword the sharpest and my gold the most glorious." + +Hogni answers, "A marvel is it to me of his bidding, for seldom hath he +done in such a wise, and ill counselled will it be to wend to him; lo +now, when I saw those dear-bought things the king sends us I wondered to +behold a wolfs hair knit to a certain gold ring; belike Gudrun deems him +to be minded as a wolf towards us, and will have naught of our faring." + +But withal Vingi shows him the runes which he said Gudrun had sent. + +Now the most of folk go to bed, but these drank on still with certain +others; and Kostbera, the wife of Hogni, the fairest of women, came to +them, and looked on the runes. + +But the wife of Gunnar was Glaumvor, a great hearted wife. + +So these twain poured out, and the kings drank and were exceeding +drunken, and Vingi notes it, and says-- + +"Naught may I hide that King Atli is heavy of foot and over-old for the +warding of his realm; but his sons are young and of no account: now will +he give you rule over his realms while they are yet thus young, and most +fain will he be that ye have the joy thereof before all others." + +Now so it befell both that Gunnar was drunk, and that dominion was held +out to him, nor might he work against the fate shapen for him; so he +gave his word to go, and tells Hogni his brother thereof. + +But he answered, "Thy word given must even stand now, nor will I fail to +follow thee, but most loth am I to journey." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Service-tree; "pyrus sorbus domestica", or "p. s. + tormentalis. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings. + +So when men had drunk their fill, they fared to sleep; then falls +Kostbera to beholding the runes, and spelling over the letters, and sees +that beneath were other things cut, and that the runes are guileful, +yet because of her wisdom she had skill to read them aright. So then she +goes to bed by her husband; but when they awoke, she spake unto Hogni-- + +"Thou art minded to wend away from home--ill-counselled is that; abide +till another time! Scarce a keen reader of runes art thou, if thou +deemest thou hast beheld in them the bidding of thy sister to this +journey: lo, I read them the runes, and had marvel of so wise a woman +as Gudrun is, that she should have miscut them; but that which lieth +underneath beareth your bane with it,--yea, either she lacked a letter, +or others have dealt guilefully with the runes. + +"And now hearken to my dream; for therein methought there fell in upon +us here a river exceeding strong, and brake up the timbers of the hall." + +He answered, "Full oft are ye evil of mind, ye women, but for me, I +was not made in such wise as to meet men with evil who deserve no evil; +belike he will give us good welcome." + +She answered, "Well, the thing must ye yourselves prove, but no +friendship follows this bidding:--but yet again I dreamed that another +river fell in here with a great and grimly rush, and tore up the dais +of the hall, and brake the legs of both you brethren; surely that +betokeneth somewhat." + +He answers, "Meadows along our way, whereas thou didst dream of the +river; for when we go through the meadows, plentifully doth the seeds of +the hay hang about our legs." + +"Again I dreamed," she says, "that thy cloak was afire, and that the +flame blazed up above the hall." + +Says he, "Well, I wot what that shall betoken; here lieth my fair-dyed +raiment, and it shall burn and blaze, whereas thou dreamedst of the +cloak." + +"Methought a bear came in," she says, "and brake up the king's +high-seat, and shook his paws in such a wise that we were all adrad +thereat, and he gat us all together into the mouth of him, so that we +might avail us naught, and thereof fell great horror on us." + +He answered, "Some great storm will befall, whereas thou hadst a white +bear in thy mind." + +"An erne methought came in," she says, "and swept adown the hall, and +drenched me and all of us with blood, and ill shall that betoken, for +methought it was the double of King Atli." + +He answered, "Full oft do we slaughter beasts freely, and smite down +great neat for our cheer, and the dream of the erne has but to do with +oxen; yea, Atli is heart-whole toward us." + +And therewithal they cease this talk. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. Of the Journey of the Giukings to King Atli. + +Now tells the tale of Gunnar, that in the same wise it fared with him; +for when they awoke, Glaumvor his wife told him many dreams which seemed +to her like to betoken guile coming; but Gunnar areded them all in other +wise. + +"This was one of them," said she; "methought a bloody sword was borne +into the hall here, wherewith thou wert thrust through, and at either +end of that wolves howled." + +The king answered, "Our dogs shall bite me belike; blood-stained weapons +oft betoken dogs' snappings." + +She said, "Yet again I dreamed--that women came in, heavy and drooping, +and chose thee for their mate; may-happen these would be thy fateful +women." + +He answered, "Hard to arede is this, and none may set aside the fated +measure of his days, nor is it unlike that my time is short." (1) + +So in the morning they arose, and were minded for the journey, but some +letted them herein. + +Then cried Gunnar to the man who is called Fjornir-- + +"Arise, and give us to drink goodly wine from great tuns, because may +happen this shall be very last of all our feasts; belike if we die the +old wolf shall come by the gold, and that bear shall nowise spare the +bite of his war-tusks." + +Then all the folk of his household brought them on their way weeping. + +The son of Hogni said-- + +"Fare ye well with merry tide." + +The more part of their folk were left behind; Solar and Gnoevar, the +sons of Hogni, fared with them, and a great champion, named Orkning, who +was the brother of Kostbera. + +So folk followed them down to the ships, and all fetted them of their +journey, but attained to naught therein. + +Then spake Glaumvor, and said-- + +"O Vingi, most like that great ill hap will come of thy coming, and +mighty and evil things shall betide in thy travelling." + +He answered, "Hearken to my answer; that I lie not aught: and may the +high gallows and all things of grame have me, if I lie one word!" + +Then cried Kostbera, "Fare ye well with merry days." + +And Hogni answered, "Be glad of heart, howsoever it may fare with us!" + +And therewith they parted, each to their own fate. Then away they rowed, +so hard and fast, that well-nigh the half of the keel slipped away from +the ship, and so hard they laid on to the oars that thole and gunwale +brake. + +But when they came aland they made their ship fast, and then they rode +awhile on their noble steeds through the murk wild-wood. + +And now they behold the king's army, and huge uproar, and the clatter of +weapons they hear from thence; and they see there a mighty host of men, +and the manifold array of them, even as they wrought there: and all the +gates of the burg were full of men. + +So they rode up to the burg, and the gates thereof were shut; then Hogni +brake open the gates, and therewith they ride into the burg. + +Then spake Vingi, "Well might ye have left this deed undone; go to now, +bide ye here while I go seek your gallows-tree! Softly and sweetly I +base you hither, but an evil thing abode thereunder; short while to bide +ere ye are tied up to that same tree!" + +Hogni answered, "None the more shall we waver for that cause; for little +methinks have we shrunk aback whenas men fell to fight; and naught +shall it avail thee to make us afeard,--and for an ill fate hast thou +wrought." + +And therewith they cast him down to earth, and smote him with their +axe-hammers till he died. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Parallel beliefs to those in the preceding chapters, and + elsewhere in this book, as to spells, dreams, drinks, etc., + among the English people may be found in "Leechdoms, + Wortcunning, and Starcraft of the Anglo-Saxons; being a + collection of Documents illustrating the History of Science + in this Country before the Norman Conquest". Ed: Rev. T. O. + Cockayne, M.A. (3 vols.) Longmans, London, 1864, 8vo. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. The Battle in the Burg of King Atli. + +Then they rode unto the king's hall, and King Atli arrayed his host for +battle, and the ranks were so set forth that a certain wall there was +betwixt them and the brethren. + +"Welcome hither," said he. "Deliver unto me that plenteous gold which is +mine of right; even the wealth which Sigurd once owned, and which is now +Gudrun's of right." + +Gunnar answered, "Never gettest thou that wealth; and men of might must +thou meet here, or ever we lay by life if thou wilt deal with us in +battle; ah, belike thou settest forth this feast like a great man, and +wouldst not hold thine hand from erne and wolf!" + +"Long ago I had it in my mind," said Atli, "to take the lives of you, and +be lord of the gold, and reward you for that deed of shame, wherein ye +beguiled the best of all your affinity; but now shall I revenge him." + +Hogni answered, "Little will it avail to lie long brooding over that +rede, leaving the work undone." + +And therewith they fell to hard fighting, at the first brunt with shot. + +But therewithal came the tidings to Gudrun, and when she heard thereof +she grew exceeding wroth, and cast her mantle from her, and ran out and +greeted those new-comers, and kissed her brethren, and showed them all +love,--and the last of all greetings was that betwixt them. + +Then said she, "I thought I had set forth counsel whereby ye should not +come hither, but none may deal with his shapen fate." And withal she +said, "Will it avail aught to seek for peace?" + +But stoutly and grimly they said nay thereto. So she sees that the +game goeth sorely against her brethren, and she gathers to her great +stoutness of heart, and does on her a mail-coat and takes to her a +sword, and fights by her brethren, and goes as far forward as the +bravest of man-folk; and all spoke in one wise that never saw any fairer +defence than in her. + +Now the men fell thick, and far before all others was the fighting of +those brethren, and the battle endured a long while unto midday; Gunnar +and Hogni went right through the folk of Atli, and so tells the tale +that all the mead ran red with blood; the sons of Hogni withal set on +stoutly. + +Then spake Atli the king, "A fair host and a great have we, and mighty +champions withal, and yet have many of us fallen, and but evil am I +apaid in that nineteen of my champions are slain, and but left six +alive." + +And therewithal was there a lull in the battle. + +Then spake Atli the king, "Four brethren were we, and now am I left +alone; great affinity I gat to me, and deemed my fortune well sped +thereby; a wife I had, fair and wise, high of mind, and great of heart; +but no joyance may I have of her wisdom, for little peace is betwixt +us,--but ye--ye have slain many of my kin, and beguiled me of realm and +riches, and for the greatest of all woes have slain my sister withal." + +Quoth Hogni, "Why babblest thou thus? Thou wert the first to break the +peace. Thou didst take my kinswoman and pine her to death by hunger, and +didst murder her, and take her wealth; an ugly deed for a king!--meet +for mocking and laughter I deem it, that thou must needs make long tale +of thy woes; rather will I give thanks to the Gods that thou fallest +into ill." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. Of the slaying of the Giukings. + +Now King Atli eggs on his folk to set on fiercely, and eagerly they +fight; but the Giukings fell on so hard that King Atli gave back into +the hall, and within doors was the fight, and fierce beyond all fights. + +That battle was the death of many a man, but such was the ending +thereof, that there fell all the folk of those brethren, and they twain +alone stood up on their feet, and yet many more must fare to hell first +before their weapons. + +And now they fell on Gunnar the king, and because of the host of men +that set on him was hand laid on him, and he was cast into fetters; +afterwards fought Hogni, with the stoutest heart and the greatest +manlihood; and he felled to earth twenty of the stoutest of the +champions of King Atli, and many he thrust into the fire that burnt +amidst the hall, and all were of one accord that such a man might scarce +be seen; yet in the end was he borne down by many and taken. + +Then said King Atli, "A marvellous thing how many men have gone their +ways before him! Cut the heart from out of him, and let that be his +bane!" + +Hogni said, "Do according to thy will; merrily will I abide whatso thou +writ do against me; and thou shalt see that my heart is not adrad, for +hard matters have I made trial of ere now, and all things that may try +a man was I fain to bear, whiles yet I was unhurt; but now sorely am +I hurt, and thou alone henceforth will bear mastery in our dealings +together." + +Then spake a counsellor of King Atli, "Better rede I see thereto; take +we the thrall Hjalli, and give respite to Hogni; for this thrall is made +to die, since the longer he lives the less worth shall he be." + +The thrall hearkened, and cried out aloft, and fled away anywhither +where he might hope for shelter, crying out that a hard portion was his +because of their strife and wild doings, and an ill day for him whereon +he must be dragged to death from his sweet life and his swine-keeping. +But they caught him, and turned a knife against him, and he yelled and +screamed or ever he felt the point thereof. + +Then in such wise spake Hogni as a man seldom speaketh who is fallen +into hard need, for he prayed for the thrall's life, and said that these +shrieks he could not away with, and that it were a lesser matter to him +to play out the play to the end; and therewithal the thrall gat his life +as for that time: but Gunnar and Hogni are both laid in fetters. + +Then spake King Atli with Gunnar the king, and bade him tell out +concerning the gold, and where it was, if he would have his life. + +But he answered, "Nay, first will I behold the bloody heart of Hogni, my +brother." + +So now they caught hold of the thrall again, and cut the heart from out +of him, and bore it unto King Gunnar, but he said-- + +"The faint heart of Hjalli may ye here behold, little like the proud +heart of Hogni, for as much as it trembleth now more by the half it +trembled whenas it lay in the breast of him." + +So now they fell on Hogni even as Atli urged them, and cut the heart +from out of him, but such was the might of his manhood, that he laughed +while he abode that torment, and all wondered at his worth, and in +perpetual memory is it held sithence. (1) + +Then they showed it to Gunnar, and he said-- + +"The mighty heart of Hogni, little like the faint heart of Hjalli, for +little as it trembleth now, less it trembled whenas in his breast it +lay! But now, O Atli, even as we die so shalt thou die; and lo, I alone +wot where the gold is, nor shall Hogni be to tell thereof now; to and +fro played the matter in my mind whiles we both lived, but now have I +myself determined for myself, and the Rhine river shall rule over the +gold, rather than that the Huns shall bear it on the hands of them." + +Then said King Atli, "Have away the bondsman;" and so they did. + +But Gudrun called to her men, and came to Atli, and said-- + +"May it fare ill with thee now and from henceforth, even as thou hast +ill held to thy word with me!" + +So Gunnar was cast into a worm-close, and many worms abode him there, +and his hands were fast bound; but Gudrun sent him a harp, and in such +wise did he set forth his craft, that wisely he smote the harp, smiting +it with his foes, and so excellently well he played, that few deemed +they had heard such playing, even when the hand had done it. And with +such might and power he played, that all worms fell asleep in the end, +save one adder only, great and evil of aspect, that crept unto him and +thrust its sting into him until it smote his heart; and in such wise +with great hardihood he ended his life days. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Since ("sidh", after, and "dham", that.). + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk. + +Now thought Atli the King that he had gained a mighty victory, and spake +to Gudrun even as mocking her greatly, or as making himself great before +her. "Gudrun," saith he, "thus hast thou lost thy brethren, and thy very +self hast brought it about." + +She answers, "In good liking livest thou, whereas thou thrustest these +slayings before me, but mayhappen thou wilt rue it, when thou hast tried +what is to come hereafter; and of all I have, the longest-lived matter +shall be the memory of thy cruel heart, nor shall it go well with thee +whiles I live." + +He answered and said, "Let there be peace betwixt us; I will atone for +thy brethren with gold and dear-bought things, even as thy heart may +wish." + +She answers, "Hard for a long while have I been in our dealings +together, and now I say, that while Hogni was yet alive thou mightest +have brought it to pass; but now mayest thou never atone for my brethren +in my heart; yet oft must we women be overborne by the might of you men; +and now are all my kindred dead and gone, and thou alone art left to +rule over me: wherefore now this is my counsel that we make a great +feast; wherein I will hold the funeral of my brother and of thy kindred +withal." + +In such wise did she make herself soft and kind in words, though far +other things forsooth lay thereunder, but he hearkened to her gladly, +and trusted in her words, whereas she made herself sweet of speech. + +So Gudrun held the funeral feast for her brethren, and King Atli for his +men, and exceeding proud and great was this feast. + +But Gudrun forgat not her woe, but brooded over it, how she might work +some mighty shame against the king; and at nightfall she took to her the +sons of King Atli and her as they played about the floor; the younglings +waxed heavy of cheer, and asked what she would with them. + +"Ask me not," she said; "ye shall die, the twain of you!" + +Then they answered, "Thou mayest do with thy children even as thou wilt, +nor shall any hinder thee, but shame there is to thee in the doing of +this deed." + +Yet for all that she cut the throats of them. + +Then the king asked where his sons were, and Gudrun answered, "I will +tell thee, and gladden thine heart by the telling; lo now, thou didst +make a great woe spring up for me in the slaying of my brethren; now +hearken and hear my rede and my deed; thou hast lost thy sons, and +their heads are become beakers on the board here, and thou thyself hast +drunken the blood of them blended with wine; and their hearts I took and +roasted them on a spit, and thou hast eaten thereof." + +King Atli answered, "Grim art thou in that thou hast murdered thy sons, +and given me their flesh to eat, and little space passes betwixt ill +deed of thine and ill deed." + +Gudrun said, "My heart is set on the doing to thee of as great shame as +may be; never shall the measure ill be of full to such a king as thou +art." + +The king said, "Worser deeds hast thou done than men have to tell of, +and great unwisdom is there in such fearful redes; most meet art thou +to be burned on bale when thou hast first been smitten to death with +stones, for in such wise wouldst thou have what thou hast gone a weary +way to seek." + +She answered, "Thine own death thou foretellest, but another death is +fated for me." + +And many other words they spake in their wrath. + +Now Hogni had a son left alive, hight Niblung, and great wrath of heart +he bare against King Atli; and he did Gudrun to wit that he would +avenge his father. And she took his words well, and they fell to counsel +together thereover, and she said it would be great goodhap if it might +be brought about. + +So on a night, when the king had drunken, he gat him in bed, and when he +was laid asleep, thither to him came Gudrun and the son of Hogni. + +Gudrun took a sword and thrust it through the breast of King Atli, and +they both of them set their hands to the deed, both she and the son of +Hogni. + +Then Atli the king awoke with the wound, and cried out; "No need of +binding or salving here!--who art thou who hast done the deed?" + +Gudrun says, "Somewhat have I, Gudrun, wrought therein, and somewhat +withal the son of Hogni." + +Atli said, "Ill it beseemed to thee to do this, though somewhat of wrong +was between us; for thou wert wedded to me by the rede of thy kin, and +dower paid I for thee; yea, thirty goodly knights, and seemly maidens, +and many men besides; and yet wert thou not content, but if thou should +rule over the lands King Budli owned: and thy mother-in-law full oft +thou lettest sit a-weeping." + +Gudrun said, "Many false words hast thou spoken, and of naught I account +them; oft, indeed, was I fell of mood, but much didst thou add thereto. +Full oft in this thy house did frays befall, and kin fought kin, and +friend fought friend, and made themselves big one against the other; +better days had I whenas I abode with Sigurd, when we slew kings, and +took their wealth to us, but gave peace to whomso would, and the great +men laid themselves under our hands, and might we gave to him of them +who would have it; then I lost him, and a little thing was it that I +should bear a widow's name, but the greatest of griefs that I should +come to thee--I who had aforetime the noblest of all kings, while for +thee, thou never barest out of the battle aught but the worser lot." + +King Atli answered, "Naught true are thy words, nor will this our speech +better the lot of either of us, for all is fallen now to naught; but now +do to me in seemly wise, and array my dead corpse in noble fashion." + +"Yea, that will I," she says, "and let make for thee a goodly grave, and +build for thee a worthy abiding place of stone, and wrap thee in fair +linen, and care for all that needful is." + +So therewithal he died, and she did according to her word: and then they +cast fire into the hall. + +And when the folk and men of estate awoke amid that dread and trouble, +naught would they abide the fire, but smote each the other down, and +died in such wise; so there Atli the king, and all his folk, ended their +life-days. But Gudrun had no will to live longer after this deed so +wrought, but nevertheless her ending day was not yet come upon her. + +Now the Volsungs and the Giukings, as folk tell in tale, have been the +greatest-hearted and the mightiest of all men, as ye may well behold +written in the songs of old time. + +But now with the tidings just told were these troubles stayed. + + + +CHAPTER XL. How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore +again. + +Gudrun had a daughter by Sigurd hight Swanhild; she was the fairest of +all women, eager-eyed as her father, so that few durst look under the +brows of her; and as far did she excel other woman-kind as the sun +excels the other lights of heaven. + +But on a day went Gudrun down to the sea, and caught up stones in her +arms, and went out into the sea, for she had will to end her life. But +mighty billows drave her forth along the sea, and by means of their +upholding was she borne along till she came at the last to the burg of +King Jonakr, a mighty king, and lord of many folk. And he took Gudrun to +wife, and their children were Hamdir, and Sorli, and Erp; and there was +Swanhild nourished withal. + + + +CHAPTER XLI. Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild. + +Jormunrek was the name of a mighty king of those days, and his son was +called Randver. Now this king called his son to talk with him, and said, +"Thou shalt fair on an errand of mine to King Jonakr, with my counsellor +Bikki, for with King Jonakr is nourished Swanhild, the daughter of +Sigurd Fafnir's-bane; and I know for sure that she is the fairest may +dwelling under the sun of this world; her above all others would I have +to my wife, and thou shalt go woo her for me." + +Randver answered, "Meet and right, fair lord, that I should go on thine +errands." + +So the king set forth this journey in seemly wise, and they fare till +they come to King Jonakr's abode, and behold Swanhild, and have many +thoughts concerning the treasure of her goodliness. + +But on a day Randver called the king to talk with him, and said, +"Jormunrek the King would fain be thy brother-in-law, for he has heard +tell of Swanhild, and his desire it is to have her to wife, nor may it +be shown that she may be given to any mightier man than he is one." + +The King says, "This is an alliance of great honour, for a man of fame +he is." + +Gudrun says, "A wavering trust, the trust in luck that change not!" + +Yet because of the king's furthering, and all the matters that went +herewith, is the wooing accomplished; and Swanhild went to the ship with +a goodly company, and sat in the stem beside the king's son. + +Then spake Bikki to Randver, "How good and right it were if thou thyself +had to wife so lovely a woman rather than the old man there." + +Good seemed that word to the heart of the king's son, and he spake to +her with sweet words, and she to him like wise. + +So they came aland and go unto the king, and Bikki said to him, "Meet +and right it is, lord, that thou shouldst know what is befallen, though +hard it be to tell of, for the tale must be concerning thy beguiling, +whereas thy son has gotten to him the full love of Swanhild, nor is she +other than his harlot; but thou, let not the deed be unavenged." + +Now many an ill rede had he given the king or this, but of all his ill +redes did this sting home the most; and still would the king hearken +to all his evil redes; wherefore he, who might nowise still the wrath +within him, cried out that Randver should be taken and tied up to the +gallows-tree. + +And as he was led to the gallows he took his hawk and plucked the +feathers from off it, and bade show it to his father; and when the king +saw it, then he said, "Now may folk behold that he deemeth my honour to +be gone away from me, even as the feathers of this hawk;" and therewith +he bade deliver him from the gallows. + +But in that while had Bikki wrought his will, and Randver was +dead-slain. + +And, moreover, Bikki spake, "Against none hast thou more wrongs to +avenge thee of than against Swanhild; let her die a shameful death." + +"Yea," said the king, "we will do after thy counsel." + +So she was bound in the gate of the burg, and horse were driven at her +to tread her down; but when she opened her eyes wide, then the horses +durst not trample her; so when Bikki beheld that, he bade draw a bag +over the head of her; and they did so, and therewith she lost her life. +(1) + + + ENDNOTES + (1) In the prose Edda the slaying of Swanhild is a spontaneous + and sudden act on the part of the king. As he came back + from hunting one day, there sat Swanhild washing her linen, + and it came into the king's mind how that she was the cause + of all his woe, so he and his men rode over her and slew + her.--Tr. + + + +CHAPTER XLII. Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild. + +Now Gudrun heard of the slaying of Swanhild, and spake to her sons, "Why +sit ye here in peace amid many words, whereas Jormunrek hath slain your +sister, and trodden her under foot of horses in shameful wise? No heart +ye have in you like to Gunnar or Hogni; verily they would have avenged +their kinswoman!" + +Hamdir answered, "Little didst thou praise Gunnar and Hogni, whereas +they slew Sigurd, and thou wert reddened in the blood of him, and ill +were thy brethren avenged by the slaying of thine own sons: yet not +so ill a deed were it for us to slay King Jormunrek, and so hard thou +pushest on to this that we may naught abide thy hard words." + +Gudrun went about laughing now, and gave them to drink from mighty +beakers, and thereafter she got for them great byrnies and good, and all +other weed (1) of war. + +Then spake Hamdir, "Lo now, this is our last parting, for thou shalt +hear tidings of us, and drink one grave-ale (2) over us and over +Swanhild." + +So therewith they went their ways. + +But Gudrun went unto her bower, with heart swollen with sorrow, and +spake-- + +"To three men was I wedded, and first to Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and he +was bewrayed and slain, and of all griefs was that the greatest grief. +Then was I given to King Atli, and so fell was my heart toward him that +I slew in the fury of my grief his children and mine. Then gave I myself +to the sea, but the billows thereof cast me out aland, and to this king +then was I given; then gave I Swanhild away out of the land with mighty +wealth; and lo, my next greatest sorrow after Sigurd, for under horses +feet was she trodden and slain; but the grimmest and ugliest of woes +was the casting of Gunnar into the Worm-close, and the hardest was the +cutting of Hogni's heart from him. + +"Ah, better would it be if Sigurd came to meet me, and I went my ways +with him, for here bideth now behind with me neither son nor daughter +to comfort me. Oh, mindest thou not, Sigurd, the words we spoke when we +went into one bed together, that thou wouldst come and look on me; yea, +even from thine abiding place among the dead?" + +And thus had the words of her sorrow an end. + + + ENDNOTE: + (1) Weed (A.S. "weodo"), clothing. + (2) Grave-ale, burial-feast. + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. The Latter End of all the Kin of the Giukings. + +Now telleth the tale concerning the sons of Gudrun, that she had arrayed +their war-raiment in such wise, that no steel would bite thereon; and +she bade them play not with stones or other heavy matters, for that it +would be to their scathe if they did so. + +And now, as they went on their way, they met Erp, their brother, and +asked him in what wise he would help them. + +He answered, "Even as hand helps hand, or foot helps foot." + +But that they deemed naught at all, and slew him there and then. Then +they went their ways, nor was it long or ever Hamdir stumbled, and +thrust down his hand to steady himself, and spake therewith-- + +"Naught but a true thing spake Erp, for now should I have fallen, had +not hand been to steady me." + + A little after Sorli stumbled, but turned about on his feet, and +so stood, and spake-- + +"Yea now had I fallen, but that I steadied myself with both feet." + +And they said they had done evilly with Erp their brother. + +But on they fare till they come to the abode of King Jormunrek, and they +went up to him and set on him forthwith, and Hamdir cut both hands from +him and Sorli both feet. Then spake Hamdir-- + +"Off were the head if Erp were alive; our brother whom we slew on the +way, and found out our deed too late." Even as the Song says,-- + + "Off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold, + Whom we slew by the way, + The well-famed in warfare." + +Now in this must they turn away from the words of their mother, whereas +they had to deal with stones. For now men fell on them, and they +defended themselves in good and manly wise, and were the scathe of many +a man, nor would iron bite on them. + +But there came thereto a certain man, old of aspect and one-eyed, (1) +and he spake-- + +"No wise men are ye, whereas ye cannot bring these men to their end." + +Then the king said, "Give us rede thereto, if thou canst." + +He said, "Smite them to the death with stones." + +In such wise was it done, for the stones flew thick and fast from every +side, and that was the end of their life-days. + +And now has come to an end the whole root and stem of the Giukings. (2) + + NOW MAY ALL EARLS + BE BETTERED IN MIND, + MAY THE GRIEF OF ALL MAIDENS + EVER BE MINISHED, + FOR THIS TALE OF TROUBLE + SO TOLD TO ITS ENDING. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Odin; he ends the tale as he began it. + (2) "And now," etc., inserted by translators from the prose + Edda, the stanza at the end from the Whetting of Gudrun. + + + +APPENDIX: EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA. + + + + +PART OF THE SECOND LAY OF HELGI HUNDINGS-BANE (1) + +Helgi wedded Sigrun, and they begate sons together, but Helgi lived not +to be old; for Dag, (2) the son of Hogni, sacrificed to Odin, praying +that he might avenge his father. So Odin lent Dag his spear, and Dag met +Helgi, his brother-in-law, at a place called Fetter-grove, and thrust +him through with that spear, and there fell Helgi dead; but Dag rode to +Sevafell, and told Sigrun of the news. + + DAG: + Loth am I, sister + Of sorrow to tell thee, + For by hard need driven + Have I drawn on the greeting; + This morning fell + In Fetter-grove + The king well deemed + The best in the wide world, + Yea, he who stood + On the necks of the strong." + + SIGRUN: + All oaths once sworn + Shall bite thee sore, + The oaths that to Helgi + Once thou swarest + At the bright white + Water of Lightening, (3) + And at the cold rock + That the sea runneth over. + + May the ship sweep not on + That should sweep at its swiftest, + Though the wind desired + Behind thee driveth! + May the horse never run + That should run at his most might + When from thy foe's face + Thou hast most need to flee! + + May the sword never bite + That thou drawest from scabbard + But and if round thine head + In wrath it singeth! + + Then should meet price be paid + For Helgi's slaying + When a wolf thou wert + Out in the wild-wood, + Empty of good things + Empty of gladness, + With no meat for thy mouth + But dead men's corpses! + + DAG: + With mad words thou ravest, + Thy wits are gone from thee, + When thou for thy brother + Such ill fate biddest; + Odin alone + Let all this bale loose, + Casting the strife-runes + 'Twixt friends and kindred. + + Rings of red gold + Will thy brother give thee, + And the stead of Vandil + And the lands of Vigdale; + Have half of the land + For thy sorrow's healing, + O ring-arrayed sweetling + For thee and thy sons! + + SIGRUN: + No more sit I happy + At Sevafell; + At day-dawn, at night + Naught love I my life + Till broad o'er the people + My lord's light breaketh; + Till his war-horse runneth + Beneath him hither, + Well wont to the gold bit-- + Till my king I welcome. + + In such wise did Helgi + Deal fear around + To all his foes + And all their friends + As when the goat runneth + Before the wolf's rage + Filled with mad fear + Down from the fell. + + As high above all lords + Did Helgi beat him + As the ash-tree's glory + From the thorn ariseth, + Or as the fawn + With the dew-fell sprinkled + Is far above + All other wild things, + As his horns go gleaming + 'Gainst the very heavens. + +A barrow was raised above Helgi, but when he came in Valhall, then Odin +bade him be lord of all things there, even as he; so Helgi sang-- + + HELGI: + Now shalt thou, Hunding + For the help of each man + Get ready the foot-bath, + And kindle the fire; + The hounds shalt thou bind + And give heed to the horses, + Give wash to the swine + Ere to sleep thou goest. + +A bondmaid of Sigrun went in the evening-tide by Helgi's mound, and +there saw how Helgi rode toward it with a great company; then she sang-- + + BONDMAID: + It is vain things' beguilling + That methinks I behold, + Or the ending of all things, + As ye ride, O ye dead men, + Smiting with spurs + Your horses' sides? + Or may dead warriors + Wend their ways homeward? + + THE DEAD: + No vain things' beguiling + Is that thou beholdest, + Nor the ruin of all things; + Though thou lookest upon us, + Though we smite with spurs + Our horses' sides; + Rather dead warriors + May wend their ways homeward. + +Then went the bondmaid home, and told Sigrun, and sang-- + + BONDMAID: + Go out, Sigrun + From Sevafell, + If thou listest to look on + The lord of thy people! + For the mound is uncovered + Thither is Helgi come, + And his wounds are bleeding, + But the king thee biddeth + To come and stay + That stream of sorrow. + +So Sigrun went into the mound to Helgi, and sang-- + + SIGRUN: + Now am I as fain + Of this fair meeting, + As are the hungry + Hawks of Odin, + When they wot of the slaying + Of the yet warm quarry, + Or bright with dew + See the day a-dawning. + + Ah, I will kiss + My king laid lifeless, + Ere thou castest by + Thy blood-stained byrny. + O Helgi, thy hair + Is thick with death's rime, + With the dew of the dead + Is my love all dripping; + Dead-cold are the hands + Of the son of Hogni; + How for thee, O my king, + May I win healing? + + HELGI: + Thou alone, Sigrun + Of Sevafell, + Hast so done that Helgi + With grief's dew drippeth; + O clad in gold + Cruel tears thou weepest, + Bright May of the Southlands, + Or ever thou sleepest; + Each tear in blood falleth + On the breast of thy lord, + Cold wet and bitter-sharp + Swollen with sorrow. + + Ah, we shall drink + Dear draughts and lovely, + Though, we have lost + Both life and lands; + Neither shall any + Sing song of sorrow, + Though in my breast + Be wounds wide to behold: + For now are brides + In the mound abiding; + Kings' daughters sit + By us departed. + +Bow Sigrun arrayed a bed in the mound, and sang-- + + SIGRUN: + Here, Helgi, for thee + A bed have I dight, + Kind without woe, + O kin of the Ylfings! + To thy bosom, O king, + Will I come and sleep soft, + As I was wont + When my lord was living. + + HELGI: + Now will I call + Naught not to be hoped for + Early or late + At Sevafell, + When thou in the arms + Of a dead man art laid, + White maiden of Hogni, + Here in the mound: + And thou yet quick, + O King's daughter! + + Now needs must I ride + On the reddening ways; + My pale horse must tread + The highway aloft; + West must I go + To Windhelm's bridge + Ere the war-winning crowd + Hall-crower (4) waketh. + +So Helgi rode his ways: and the others gat them gone home to the house. +But the next night Sigrun bade the bondwoman have heed of the mound. So +at nightfall, thenas Sigrun came to the mound, she sang: + + SIGRUN: + Here now would he come, + If to come he were minded; + Sigmund's offspring + From the halls of Odin. + O me the hope waneth + Of Helgi's coming; + For high on the ash-boughs + Are the ernes abiding, + And all folk drift + Toward the Thing of the dreamland. + + BONDMAID: + Be not foolish of heart, + And fare all alone + To the house of the dead, + O Hero's daughter! + For more strong and dreadful + In the night season + Are all dead warriors + Than in the daylight. + +But a little while lived Sigrun, because of her sorrow and trouble. +But in old time folk trowed that men should be born again, though their +troth be now deemed but an old wife's dotting. And so, as folk say, +Helgi and Sigrun were born again, and at that tide was he called Helgi +the Scathe of Hadding, and she Kara the daughter of Halfdan; and she was +a Valkyrie, even as is said in the Lay of Kara. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Only that part of the song is given which completes the + episodes of Helgi Hunding's-bane; the earlier part of the + song differs little from the Saga. + (2) Hogni, the father of Dar and Sigrun, had been slain by Helgi + in battle, and Helgi had given peace to, and taken oaths of + Dag. + (3) One of the rivers of the under-world. + (4) Hall-crower, "Salgofnir": lit. Hall-gaper, the cock of + Valhall. + + + + +PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) + + Now this is my first counsel, + That thou with thy kin + Be guiltless, guileless ever, + Nor hasty of wrath, + Despite of wrong done-- + Unto the dead good that doeth. + + Lo the second counsel, + That oath thou swearest never, + But trusty oath and true: + Grim tormenting + Gripes troth-breakers; + Cursed wretch is the wolf of vows. + + This is my third rede, + That thou at the Thing + Deal not with the fools of folk; + For unwise man + From mouth lets fall + Worser word than well he wotteth. + + Yet hard it is + That holding of peace + When men shall deem thee dastard, + Or deem the lie said soothly; + But woeful is home-witness, + Unless right good thou gettest it. + Ah, on another day + Drive the life from out him, + And pay the liar back for his lying. + + Now behold the fourth rede: + If ill witch thee bideth, + Woe-begatting by the way, + Good going further + Rather than guesting, + Though thick night be on thee. + + Far-seeing eyes + Need all sons of men + Who wend in wrath to war; + For baleful women + Bide oft by the highway, + Swords and hearts to soften. + + And now the fifth rede: + As fair as thou seest + Brides on the bench abiding, + Let not love's silver + Rule over thy sleeping; + Draw no woman to kind kissing! + + For the sixth thing, I rede + When men sit a-drinking + Amid ale-words and ill-words, + Dead thou naught + With the drunken fight-staves + For wine stealeth wit from many. + + Brawling and drink + Have brought unto men + Sorrow sore oft enow; + Yea, bane unto some, + And to some weary bale; + Many are the griefs of mankind. + + For the seventh, I rede thee, + If strife thou raisest + With a man right high of heart, + Better fight a-field + Than burn in the fire + Within thine hall fair to behold. + + The eighth rede that I give thee: + Unto all ill look thou, + And hold thine heart from all beguiling; + Draw to thee no maiden, + No man's wife bewray thou, + Urge them not unto unmeet pleasure. + + This is the ninth counsel: + That thou have heed of dead folk + Whereso thou findest them a-field; + Be they sick-dead, + Be they sea-dead, + Or come to ending by war-weapons. + + Let bath be made + For such men fordone, + Wash thou hands and feet thereof, + Comb their hair and dry them + Ere the coffin has them; + Then bid them sleep full sweetly. + + This for the tenth counsel: + That thou give trust never + Unto oaths of foeman's kin, + Be'st thou bane of his brother, + Or hast thou felled his father; + Wolf in young son waxes, + Though he with gold be gladdened. + + For wrong and hatred + Shall rest them never, + Nay, nor sore sorrow. + Both wit and weapons + Well must the king have + Who is fain to be the foremost. + + The last rede and eleventh: + Until all ill look thou. + And watch thy friends' ways ever + Scarce durst I look + For long life for thee, king: + Strong trouble ariseth now already. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) This continues the first part of the lay given in Chapter XX + of the Saga; and is, in fact, the original verse of Chapter + XXI. + + + + +THE LAY CALLED THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD. + + Sigurd of yore, + Sought the dwelling of Giuki, + As he fared, the young Volsung, + After fight won; + Troth he took + From the two brethren; + Oath swore they betwixt them, + Those bold ones of deed. + + A may they gave to him + And wealth manifold, + Gudrun the young, + Giuki's daughter: + They drank and gave doom + Many days together, + Sigurd the young, + And the sons of Giuki. + + Until they wended + For Brynhild's wooing, + Sigurd a-riding + Amidst their rout; + The wise young Volsung + Who knew of all ways-- + Ah! He had wed her, + Had fate so willed it. + + Southlander Sigurd + A naked sword, + Bright, well grinded, + Laid betwixt them; + No kiss he won + From the fair woman, + Nor in arms of his + Did the Hun King hold her, + Since he gat the young maid + For the son of Giuki. + + No lack in her life + She wotted of now, + And at her death-day + No dreadful thing + For a shame indeed + Or a shame in seeming; + But about and betwixt + Went baleful fate. + + Alone, abroad, + She sat of an evening, + Of full many things + She fall a-talking: + "O for my Sigurd! + I shall have death, + Or my fair, my lovely, + Laid in mine arms. + + "For the word once spoken, + I sorrow sorely-- + His queen is Gudrun, + I am wed to Gunnar; + The dread Norns wrought for us + A long while of woe." + + Oft with heart deep + In dreadful thoughts, + O'er ice-fields and ice-hills + She fared a-night time, + When he and Gudrun + Were gone to their fair bed, + And Sigurd wrapped + The bed-gear round her. + + "Ah! Now the Hun King + His queen in arms holdeth, + While love I go lacking, + And all things longed for + With no delight + But in dreadful thought." + + These dreadful things + Thrust her toward murder: + --"Listen, Gunnar, + For thou shalt lose + My wide lands, + Yea, me myself! + Never love I my life, + With thee for my lord-- + + "I will fare back thither + From whence I came, + To my nighest kin + And those that know me + There shall I sit + Sleeping my life away, + Unless thou slayest + Sigurd the Hun King, + Making thy might more + E'en than his might was! + + "Yea, let the son fare + After the father, + And no young wolf + A long while nourish! + For on earth man lieth + Vengeance lighter, + And peace shall be surer + If the son live not." + + Adrad was Gunnar, + Heavy-hearted was he, + And in doubtful mood + Day-long he sat. + For naught he wotted, + Nor might see clearly + What was the seemliest + Of deeds to set hand to; + What of all deeds + Was best to be done: + For he minded the vows + Sworn to the Volsung, + And the sore wrong + To be wrought against Sigurd. + + Wavered his mind + A weary while, + No wont it was + Of those days worn by, + That queens should flee + From the realms of their kings. + + "Brynhild to me + Is better than all, + The child of Budli + Is the best of women. + Yea, and my life + Will I lay down, + Ere I am twinned + From that woman's treasure." + + He bade call Hogni + To the place where he bided; + With all the trust that might be, + Trowed he in him. + + "Wilt thou bewray Sigurd + For his wealth's sake? + Good it is to rule + O'er the Rhine's metal; + And well content + Great wealth to wield, + Biding in peace + And blissful days." + + One thing alone Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Such doings for us + Are naught seemly to do; + To rend with sword + Oaths once sworn, + Oaths once sworn, + And troth once plighted. + + "Nor know we on mould, + Men of happier days, + The while we four + Rule over the folk; + While the bold in battle, + The Hun King, bides living. + + "And no nobler kin + Shall be known afield, + If our five sons + We long may foster; + Yea, a goodly stem + Shall surely wax. + --But I clearly see + In what wise it standeth, + Brynhild's sore urging + O'ermuch on thee beareth. + + "Guttorm shall we + Get for the slaying, + Our younger brother + Bare of wisdom; + For he was out of + All the oaths sworn, + All the oaths sworn, + And the plighted troth." + + Easy to rouse him + Who of naught recketh! + --Deep stood the sword + In the heart of Sigurd. + + There, in the hall, + Gat the high-hearted vengeance; + For he can his sword + At the reckless slayer: + Out at Guttorm + Flew Gram the mighty, + The gleaming steel + From Sigurd's hand. + + Down fell the slayer + Smitten asunder; + The heavy head + And the hands fell one way, + But the feet and such like + Aback where they stood. + + Gudrun was sleeping + Soft in the bed, + Empty of sorrow + By the side of Sigurd: + When she awoke + With all pleasure gone, + Swimming in blood + Of Frey's beloved. + + So sore her hands + She smote together, + That the great-hearted + Gat raised in bed; + --"O Gudrun, weep not + So woefully, + Sweet lovely bride, + For thy brethren live for thee! + + "A young child have I + For heritor; + Too young to win forth + From the house of his foes.-- + Black deeds and ill + Have they been a-doing, + Evil rede + Have they wrought at last. + + "Late, late, rideth with them + Unto the Thing, + Such sister's son, + Though seven thou bear,-- + --But well I wot + Which way all goeth; + Alone wrought Brynhild + This bale against us. + + "That maiden loved me + Far before all men, + Yet wrong to Gunnar + I never wrought; + Brotherhood I heeded + And all bounden oaths, + That none should deem me + His queen's darling." + + Weary sighed Gudrun, + As the king gat ending, + And so sore her hands + She smote together, + That the cups arow + Rang out therewith, + And the geese cried on high + That were in the homefield. + + Then laughed Brynhild + Budli's daughter, + Once, once only, + From out her heart; + When to her bed + Was borne the sound + Of the sore greeting + Of Giuki's daughter. + + Then, quoth Gunnar, + The king, the hawk-bearer, + "Whereas, thou laughest, + O hateful woman, + Glad on thy bed, + No good it betokeneth: + Why lackest thou else + Thy lovely hue? + Feeder of foul deeds, + Fey do I deem thee, + + "Well worthy art thou + Before all women, + That thine eyes should see + Atli slain of us; + That thy brother's wounds + Thou shouldest see a-bleeding, + That his bloody hurts + Thine hands should bind." + + "No man blameth thee, Gunnar, + Thou hast fulfilled death's measure + But naught Atli feareth + All thine ill will; + Life shall he lay down + Later than ye, + And still bear more might + Aloft than thy might. + + "I shall tell thee, Gunnar, + Though well the tale thou knowest, + In what early days + Ye dealt abroad your wrong: + Young was I then, + Worn with no woe, + Good wealth I had + In the house of my brother! + + "No mind had I + That a man should have me, + Or ever ye Giukings, + Rode into our garth; + There ye sat on your steeds + Three kings of the people-- + --Ah! That that faring + Had never befallen! + + "Then spake Atli + To me apart, + And said that no wealth + He would give unto me, + Neither gold nor lands + If I would not be wedded; + Nay, and no part + Of the wealth apportioned, + Which in my first days + He gave me duly; + Which in my first days + He counted down. + + "Wavered the mind + Within me then, + If to fight I should fall + And the felling of folk, + Bold in Byrny + Because of my brother; + A deed of fame + Had that been to all folk, + But to many a man + Sorrow of mind. + + "So I let all sink + Into peace at the last: + More grew I minded + For the mighty treasure, + The red-shining rings + Of Sigmund's son; + For no man's wealth else + Would I take unto me. + + "For myself had I given + To that great king + Who sat amid gold + On the back of Grani; + Nought were his eyes + Like to your eyen, + Nor in any wise + Went his visage with yours; + Though ye might deem you + Due kings of men. + + "One I loved, + One, and none other, + The gold-decked may + Had no doubtful mind; + Thereof shall Atli + Wot full surely, + When he getteth to know + I am gone to the dead. + + "Far be it from me, + Feeble and wavering, + Ever to love + Another's love-- + --Yes shall my woe + Be well avenged." + + Up rose Gunnar, + The great men's leader, + And cast his arms + About the queen's neck; + And all went nigh + One after other, + With their whole hearts + Her heart to turn. + + But then all these + From her neck she thrust, + Of her long journey + No man should let her. + + Then called he Hogni + To have talk with him; + "Let all folk go + Forth into the hall, + Thine with mine-- + --O need sore and mighty!-- + To wot if we yet + My wife's parting may stay. + Till with time's wearing + Some hindrance wax." + + One answer Hogni + Had for all; + "Nay, let hard need + Have rule thereover, + And no man let her + Of her long journey! + Never born again, + May she come back thence! + + "Luckless she came + To the lap of her mother, + Born into the world + For utter woe, + TO many a man + For heart-whole mourning." + + Upraised he turned + From the talk and the trouble, + To where the gem-field + Dealt out goodly treasure; + As she looked and beheld + All the wealth that she had, + And the hungry bondmaids, + And maids of the hall. + + With no good in her heart + She donned her gold byrny, + Ere she thrust the sword point + Through the midst of her body: + On the boister's far side + Sank she adown, + And, smitten with sword, + Still bethought her of redes. + + "Let all come forth + Who are fain the red gold, + Or things less worthy + To win from my hands; + To each one I give + A necklace gilt over, + Wrought hangings and bed=gear, + And bright woven weed." + + All they kept silence, + And thought what to speak, + Then all at once + Answer gave: + "Full enow are death-doomed, + Fain are we to live yet, + Maids of the hall + All meet work winning." + + "From her wise heart at last + The linen-clad damsel, + The one of few years + Gave forth the word: + "I will that none driven + By hand or by word, + For our sake should lose + Well-loved life. + + "Thou on the bones of you + Surely shall burn, + Less dear treasure + At your departing + Nor with Menia's Meal (1) + Shall ye come to see me." + + "Sit thee down, Gunnar, + A word must I say to thee + Of the life's ruin + Of thy lightsome bride-- + --Nor shall thy ship + Swim soft and sweetly + For all that I + Lay life adown. + + "Sooner than ye might deem + Shall ye make peace with Gudrun, + For the wise woman + Shall full in the young wife + The hard memory + Of her dead husband. + + "There is a may born + Reared by her mother, + Whiter and brighter + Than is the bright day; + She shall be Swanhild, + She shall be Sunbeam. + + "Thou shalt give Gudrun + Unto a great one, + Noble, well-praised + Of the world's folk; + Not with her goodwill, + Or love shalt thou give her; + Yet will Atli + Come to win her, + My very brother, + Born of Budli. + + --"Ah! Many a memory + Of how ye dealt with me, + How sorely, how evilly + Ye ever beguiled me, + How all pleasure left me + The while my life lasted--! + + "Fain wilt thou be + Oddrun to win, + But thy good liking + Shall Atli let; + But in secret wise + Shall ye win together, + And she shall love thee + As I had loved thee, + If in such wise + Fare had willed it. + + "But with all ill + Shall Atli sting thee, + Into the strait worm-close + Shall he cast thee. + + "But no long space + Shall slip away + Ere Atli too + All life shall lose, + Yea, all his weal + With the life of his sons, + For a dreadful bed + Dights Gudrun for him, + From a heart sore laden, + With the sword's sharp edge. + + "More seemly for Gudrun, + Your very sister, + In death to wend after + Her love first wed; + Had but good rede + To her been given, + Or if her heart + Had been like to my heart. + + --"Faint my speech groweth-- + But for our sake + Ne'er shall she lose + Her life beloved; + The sea shall have her, + High billows bear her + Forth unto Jonakr's + Fair land of his fathers. + + "There shall she bear sons, + Stays of a heritage, + Stays of a heritage, + Jonakr's sons; + And Swanhild shall she + Send from the land, + That may born of her, + The may born of Sigurd. + + "Her shall bite + The rede of Bikki, + Whereas for no good + Wins Jormunrek life; + And so is clean perished + All the kin of Sigurd, + Yea, and more greeting, + And more for Gudrun. + + "And now one prayer + Yet pray I of thee-- + That last word of mine + Here in the world-- + So broad on the field + Be the burg of the dead + That fair space may be left + For us all to lie down, + All those that died + At Sigurd's death! + + "Hang round that burg + Fair hangings and shields, + Web by Gauls woven, + And folk of the Gauls: + There burn the Hun King + Lying beside me. + + "But on the other side + Burn by the Hun King + Those who served me + Strewn with treasure; + Two at the head, + And two at the feet, + Two hounds therewith, + And two hawks moreover: + Then is all dealt + With even dealing. + + "Lay there amidst us + The right-dight metal, + The sharp-edged steel, + That so lay erst; + When we both together + Into one bed went, + And were called by the name + Of man and wife. + + "Never, then, belike + Shall clash behind him + Valhall's bright door + With rings bedight: + And if my fellowship + Followeth after, + In no wretched wise + Then shall we wend. + + "For him shall follow + My five bondmaids, + My eight bondsmen, + No borel folk: + Yea, and my fosterer, + And my father's dower + That Budli of old days + Gave to his dear child. + + "Much have I spoken, + More would I speak, + If the sword would give me + Space for speech; + But my words are waning, + My wounds are swelling-- + Naught but truth have I told-- + --And now make I ending." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) "Menia's Maid"--periphrasis for gold. + + + + +THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD. + +After the death of Brynhild were made two bales, one for Sigurd, and +that was first burned; but Brynhild was burned on the other, and she was +in a chariot hung about with goodly hangings. + +And so folk say that Brynhild drave in her chariot down along the way +to Hell, and passed by an abode where dwelt a certain giantess, and the +giantess spake:-- + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Nay, with my goodwill + Never goest thou + Through this stone-pillared + Stead of mine! + More seemly for thee + To sit sewing the cloth, + Than to go look on + The love of another. + + "What dost thou, going + From the land of the Gauls, + O restless head, + To this mine house? + Golden girl, hast thou not, + If thou listest to hearken, + In sweet wise from thy hands + The blood of men washen?" + + BRYNHILD + "Nay, blame me naught, + Bride of the rock-hall, + Though I roved a warring + In the days that were; + The higher of us twain + Shall I ever be holden + When of our kind + Men make account." + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Thou, O Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Wert the worst ever born + Into the world; + For Giuki's children + Death hast thou gotten, + And turned to destruction + Their goodly dwelling." + + BRYNHILD + "I shall tell thee + True tale from my chariot, + O thou who naught wottest, + If thou listest to wot; + How for me they have gotten + Those heirs of Giuki, + A loveless life, + A life of lies. + + "Hild under helm, + The Hlymdale people, + E'en those who knew me, + Ever would call me. + + "The changeful shapes + Of us eight sisters, + The wise king bade + Under oak-tree to bear; + Of twelve winters was I, + If thou listest to wot, + When I sware to the young lord + Oaths of love. + + "Thereafter gat I + Mid the folk of the Goths, + For Helmgunnar the old, + Swift journey to Hell, + And gave to Aud's brother + The young, gain and glory; + Whereof overwrath + Waxed Odin with me. + + "So he shut me in shield-wall + In Skata grove, + Red shields and white + Close set around me; + And bade him alone + My slumber to break + Who in no land + Knew how to fear. + + "He set round my hall, + Toward the south quarter, + The Bane of all trees + Burning aloft; + And ruled that he only + Thereover should ride + Who should bring me the gold + O'er which Fafnir brooded. + + "Then upon Grani rode + The goodly gold-strewer + To where my fosterer + Ruled his fair dwelling. + He who alone there + Was deemed best of all, + The War-lord of the Danes, + Well worthy of men. + + "In peace did we sleep + Soft in one bed, + As though he had been + Naught but my brother: + There as we lay + Through eight nights wearing, + No hand in love + On each other we laid. + + "Yet thence blamed me, Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That I had slept + In the arms of Sigurd; + And then I wotted + As I fain had not wotted, + That they had bewrayed me + In my betrothals. + + "Ah! For unrest + All too long + Are men and women + Made alive! + Yet we twain together + Shall wear through the ages, + Sigurd and I.-- + --Sink adown, O giant-wife!" + + + + +FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF BRYNHILD + + HOGNI SAID: + "What hath wrought Sigurd + Of any wrong-doing + That the life of the famed one + Thou art fain of taking?" + + GUNNAR SAID: + "To me has Sigurd + Sworn many oaths, + Sworn many oaths, + And sworn them lying, + And he bewrayed me + When it behoved him + Of all folk to his troth + To be the most trusty." + + HOGNI SAID: + "Thee hath Brynhild + Unto all bale, + And all hate whetted, + And a work of sorrow; + For she grudges to Gudrun + All goodly life; + And to thee the bliss + Of her very body." + + .......... + + Some the wolf roasted, + Some minced the worm, + Some unto Guttorm + Gave the wolf-meat, + Or ever they might + In their lust for murder + On the high king + Lay deadly hand. + + Sigurd lay slain + On the south of the Rhine + High from the fair tree + Croaked forth the raven, + "Ah, yet shall Atli + On you redden edges, + The old oaths shall weigh + On your souls, O warriors." + + Without stood Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + And the first word she said + Was even this word: + "Where then is Sigurd, + Lord of the Warfolk, + Since my kin + Come riding the foremost? + + One word Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Our swords have smitten + Sigurd asunder, + And the grey horse hangs drooping + O'er his lord lying dead." + + Then quoth Brynhild, + Budli's daughter; + "Good weal shall ye have + Of weapons and lands, + That Sigurd alone + Would surely have ruled + If he had lived + But a little longer. + + "Ah, nothing seemly + For Sigurd to rule + Giuki's house + And the folk of the Goths, + When of him five sons + For the slaying of men, + Eager for battle, + Should have been begotten!" + + Then laughed Brynhild-- + Loud rang the whole house-- + One laugh only + From out her heart: + "Long shall your bliss be + Of lands and people, + Whereas the famed lord + You have felled to the earth!" + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter; + "Much thou speakest, + Many things fearful, + All grame be on Gunnar + The bane of Sigurd! + From a heart full of hate + Shall come heavy vengeance." + + Forth sped the even + Enow there was drunken, + Full enow was there + Of all soft speech; + And all men got sleep + When to bed they were gotten; + Gunnar only lay waking + Long after all men. + + His feet fell he to moving, + Fell to speak to himself + The waster of men, + Still turned in his mind + What on the bough + Those twain would be saying, + The raven and erne, + As they rode their ways homeward. + + But Brynhild awoke, + Budli's daughter, + May of the shield-folk, + A little ere morning: + "Thrust ye on, hold ye back, + --Now all harm is wrought,-- + To tell of my sorrow, + Or to let all slip by me?" + + All kept silence + After her speaking, + None might know + That woman's mind, + Or why she must weep + To tell of the work + That laughing once + Of men she prayed. + + BRYNHILD SPAKE: + "In dreams, O Gunnar, + Grim things fell on me; + Dead-cold the hall was, + And my bed was a-cold, + And thou, lord, wert riding + Reft of all bliss, + Laden with fetters + 'Mid the host of thy foemen." + + "So now all ye, + O House of the Niblungs, + Shall be brought to naught, + O ye oath-breakers! + + "Think'st thou not, Gunnar, + How that betid, + When ye let the blood run + Both in one footstep? + With ill reward + Hast thou rewarded + His heart so fain + To be the foremost! + + "As well was seen + When he rode his ways, + That king of all worth, + Unto my wooing; + How the host-destroyer + Held to the vows + Sworn beforetime, + Sworn to the young king. + + "For his wounding-wand + All wrought with gold, + The king beloved + Laid between us; + Without were its edges + Wrought with fire, + But with venom-drops + Deep dyed within." + +Thus this song telleth of the death of Sigurd, and setteth forth how +that they slew him without doors; but some say that they slew him within +doors, sleeping in his bed. But the Dutch Folk say that they slew him +out in the wood: and so sayeth the ancient song of Gudrun, that Sigurd +and the sons of Giuki were riding to the Thing whenas he was slain. But +all with one accord say that they bewrayed him in their troth with him, +and fell on him as he lay unarrayed and unawares. + + + + +THE SECOND OR ANCIENT LAY OF GUDRUN. + +Thiodrek the King was in Atli's house, and had lost there the more part +of his men: so there Thiodrek and Gudrun bewailed their troubles one to +the other, and she spake and said:-- + + A may of all mays + My mother reared me + Bright in bower; + Well loved I my brethren, + Until that Giuki + With gold arrayed me, + With gold arrayed me, + And gave me to Sigurd. + + Such was my Sigurd, + Among the sons of Giuki + As is the green leek + O'er the low grass waxen, + Or a hart high-limbed + Over hurrying deer, + Or glede-red gold + Over grey silver. + + Till me they begrudged, + Those my brethren, + The fate to have him, + Who was first of all men; + Nor might they sleep, + Nor sit a-dooming, + Ere they let slay + My well-loved Sigurd. + + Grani ran to the Thing, + There was clatter to hear, + But never came Sigurd + Himself thereunto; + All the saddle-girt beasts + With blood were besprinkled, + As faint with the way + Neath the slayers they went. + + Then greeting I went + With Grani to talk, + And with tear-furrowed cheeks + I bade him tell all; + But drooping laid Grani, + His head in the grass, + For the steed well wotted + Of his master's slaying. + + A long while I wandered, + Long my mind wavered, + Ere the kings I might ask + Concerning my king. + + Then Gunnar hung head, + But Hogni told + Of the cruel slaying + Of my Sigurd: + "On the water's far side + Lies, smitten to death, + The bane of Guttorm + To the wolves given over. + + "Go, look on Sigurd, + On the ways that go southward, + There shalt thou hear + The ernes high screaming, + The ravens a-croaking + As their meat they crave for; + Thou shalt hear the wolves howling + Over thine husband. + + "How hast thou, Hogni, + The heart to tell me, + Me of joy made empty, + Of such misery? + Thy wretched heart + May the ravens tear + Wide over the world, + With no men mayst thou wend." + + One thing Hogni + Had for answer, + Fallen from his high heart, + Full of all trouble: + "More greeting yet, + O Gudrun, for thee, + If my heart the ravens + Should rend asunder!" + + Thence I turned + From the talk and the trouble + To go a leasing (1) + What the wolves had left me; + No sigh I made + No smote hands together, + Nor did I wail + As other women + When I sat over + My Sigurd slain. + + Night methought it, + And the moonless dark, + When I sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Better than all things + I deemed it would be + If they would let me + Cast my life by, + Or burn me up + As they burn the birch-wood. + + From the fell I wandered + Five days together, + Until the high hall + Of Half lay before me; + Seven seasons there + I sat with Thora, + The daughter of Hacon, + Up in Denmark. + + My heart to gladden + With gold she wrought + Southland halls + And swans of the Dane-folk; + There had we painted + The chiefs a-playing; + Fair our hands wrought + Folk of the kings. + + Red shields we did, + Doughty knights of the Huns, + Hosts spear-dight, hosts helm-dight, + All a high king's fellows; + And the ships of Sigmund + From the land swift sailing; + Heads gilt over + And prows fair graven. + + On the cloth we broidered + That tide of their battling, + Siggeir and Siggar, + South in Fion. + + Then heard Grimhild, + The Queen of Gothland, + How I was abiding, + Weighed down with woe; + And she thrust the cloth from her + And called to her sons, + And oft and eagerly + Asked them thereof, + Who for her son + Would their sister atone, + Who for her lord slain + Would lay down weregild. + + Fain was Gunnar + Gold to lay down + All wrongs to atone for, + And Hogni in likewise; + Then she asked who was fain + Of faring straightly, + The steed to saddle + To set forth the wain, + The horse to back, + And the hawk to fly, + To shoot forth the arrow + From out the yew-bow. + + Valdarr the Dane-king + Came with Jarisleif + Eymod the third went + Then went Jarizskar; + In kingly wise + In they wended, + The host of the Longbeards; + Red cloaks had they, + Byrnies short-cut, + Helms strong hammered, + Girt with glaives, + And hair red-gleaming. + + Each would give me + Gifts desired, + Gifts desired, + Speech dear to my heart, + If they might yet, + Despite my sorrow, + Win back my trust, + But in them nought I trusted. + + Then brought me Grimhild + A beaker to drink of, + Cold and bitter, + Wrong's memory to quench; + Made great was that drink + With the might of the earth, + With the death-cold sea + And the blood that Son (2) holdeth. + + On that horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that mead were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood, + And brown-burnt acorns; + The black dew of the hearth, (3) + And god-doomed dead beasts' inwards + And the swine's liver sodden, + For wrongs late done that deadens. + + Then waned my memory + When that was within me, + Of my lord 'mid the hall + By the iron laid low. + Three kings came + Before my knees + Ere she herself + Fell to speech with me. + + "I will give to thee, Gudrun, + Gold to be glad with, + All the great wealth + Of thy father gone from us, + Rings of red gold + And the great hall of Lodver, + And all fair hangings left + By the king late fallen. + + "Maids of the Huns + Woven pictures to make, + And work fair in gold + Till thou deem'st thyself glad. + Alone shalt thou rule + O'er the riches of Budli, + Shalt be made great with gold, + And be given to Atli." + + "Never will I + Wend to a husband, + Or wed the brother + Of Queen Brynhild; + Naught it beseems me + With the son of Budli + Kin to bring forth, + Or to live and be merry." + + "Nay, the high chiefs + Reward not with hatred, + For take heed that I + Was the first in this tale! + To thy heart shall it be + As if both these had life, + Sigurd and Sigmund, + When thou hast borne sons." + + "Naught may I, Grimhild, + Seek after gladness, + Nor deem aught hopeful + Of any high warrior, + Since wolf and raven + Were friends together, + The greedy, the cruel, + O'er great Sigurd's heart-blood." + + "Of all men that can be + For the noblest of kin + This king have I found, + And the foremost of all; + Him shalt thou have + Till with eld thou art heavy-- + Be thou ever unwed, + If thou wilt naught of him!" + + "Nay, nay, bid me not + With thy words long abiding + To take unto me + That balefullest kin; + This king shall bid Gunnar + Be stung to his bane, + And shall cut the heart + From out of Hogni. + + "Nor shall I leave life + Ere the keen lord, + The eager in sword-play, + My hand shall make end of." + + Grimhild a-weeping + Took up the word then, + When the sore bale she wotted + Awaiting her sons, + And the bane hanging over + Her offspring beloved. + + "I will give thee, moreover, + Great lands, many men, + Wineberg and Valberg, + If thou wilt but have them; + Hold them lifelong, + And live happy, O daughter!" + + "Then him must I take + From among kingly men, + 'Gainst my heart's desire, + From the hands of my kinsfolk; + But no joy I look + To have from that lord: + Scarce may my brother's bane + Be a shield to my sons." + + Soon was each warrior + Seen on his horse, + But the Gaulish women + Into wains were gotten; + Then seven days long + O'er a cold land we rode, + And for seven other + Clove we the sea-waves. + But with the third seven + O'er dry land we wended. + + There the gate-wardens + Of the burg, high and wide, + Unlooked the barriers + Ere the burg-garth we rode to-- + + ............ + + Atli woke me + When meseemed I was + Full evil of heart + For my kin dead slain. + + "In such wise did the Norns + Wake me or now."-- + Fain was he to know + Of this ill foreshowing-- + "That methought, O Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That thou setst in my heart + A sword wrought for guile." + + "For fires tokening I deem it + That dreaming of iron, + But for pride and for lust + The wrath of fair women + Against some bale + Belike, I shall burn thee + For thy solace and healing + Though hateful thou art." + + "In the fair garth methought + Had saplings fallen + E'en such as I would + Should have waxen ever; + Uprooted were these, + And reddened with blood, + And borne to the bench, + And folk bade me eat of them. + + "Methought from my hand then + Went hawks a-flying + Lacking their meat + To the land of all ill; + Methought that their hearts + Mingled with honey, + Swollen with blood + I ate amid sorrow. + + "Lo, next two whelps + From my hands I loosened, + Joyless were both, + And both a-howling; + And now their flesh + Became naught but corpses, + Whereof must I eat + But sore against my will." + + "O'er the prey of the fishers + Will folk give doom; + From the bright white fish + The heads will they take; + Within a few nights, + Fey as they are, + A little ere day + Of that draught will they eat." + + "Ne'er since lay I down, + Ne'er since would I sleep, + Hard of heart, in my bed:-- + That deed have I to do. (4) + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) The original has "a vid lesa". "Leasing" is the word still + used for gleaning in many country sides in England. + (2) Son was the vessel into which was poured the blood of + Quasir, the God of Poetry. + (3) This means soot. + (4) The whole of this latter part is fragmentary and obscure; + there seems wanting to two of the dreams some trivial + interpretation by Gudrun, like those given by Hogni to + Kostbera in the Saga, of which nature, of course, the + interpretation contained in the last stanza but one is, as + we have rendered it: another rendering, from the different + reading of the earlier edition of "Edda" (Copenhagen, 1818) + would make this refer much more directly to the slaying of + her sons by Gudrun. + + + + +THE SONG OF ATLI. + +Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenger her brethren, as is told far and wide; +first she slew the sons of Atli, and then Atli himself; and she burned +the hall thereafter, and all the household with it: and about these +matters is this song made:-- + + In days long gone + Sent Atli to Gunnar + A crafty one riding, + Knefrud men called him; + To Giuki's garth came he, + To the hall of Gunnar, + To the benches gay-dight, + And the gladsome drinking. + + There drank the great folk + 'Mid the guileful one's silence, + Drank wine in their fair hall: + The Huns' wrath they feared + When Knefrud cried + In his cold voice, + As he sat on the high seat, + That man of the Southland: + + "Atli has sent me + Riding swift on his errands + On the bit-griping steed + Through dark woodways unbeaten, + To bid thee, King Gunnar, + Come to his fair bench + With helm well-adorned, + To the house of King Atli. + + "Shield shall ye have there + And spears ashen-shafted, + Helms ruddy with gold, + And hosts of the Huns; + Saddle-gear silver gilt, + Shirts red as blood, + The hedge of the warwife, + And horses bit-griping. + + "And he saith he will give you + Gnitaheath widespread, + And whistling spears + And prows well-gilded, + Might wealth + With the stead of Danpi, + And that noble wood + Men name the Murkwood." + + Then Gunnar turned head + And spake unto Hogni: + "What rede from thee, high one, + Since such things we hear? + No gold know I + On Gnitaheath, + That we for our parts + Have not portion as great. + + "Seven halls we have + Fulfilled of swords, + And hilts of gold + Each sword there has; + My horse is the best, + My blade is the keenest; + Fair my bow o'er the bench is, + Gleams my byrny with gold; + Brightest helm, brightest shield, + From Kiar's dwelling ere brought-- + Better all things I have + Than all things of the Huns." + + HOGNI SAID: + "What mind has our sister + That a ring she hath sent us + In weed of wolves clad? + Bids she not to be wary? + For a wolf's hair I found + The fair ring wreathed about; + Wolf beset shall the way be + If we wend on this errand." + + No sons whetted Gunnar, + Nor none of his kin, + Nor learned men nor wise men, + Nor such as were mighty. + Then spake Gunnar + E'en as a king should speak, + Glorious in mead-hall + From great heart and high: + + "Rise up now, Fiornir, + Forth down the benches + Let the gold-cups of great ones + Pass in hands of my good-men! + Well shall we drink wine, + Draughts dear to our hearts, + Though the last of all feasts + In our fair house this be! + + "For the wolves shall rule + O'er the wealth of the Niblungs, + With the pine-woods' wardens + In Gunnar perish: + And the black-felled bears + With fierce teeth shall bite + For the glee of the dog kind, + If again comes not Gunnar." + + Then good men never shamed, + Greeting aloud, + Led the great king of men + From the garth of his home; + And cried the fair son + Of Hogni the king: + "Fare happy, O Lords, + Whereso your hearts lead you!" + + Then the bold knights + Let their bit-griping steeds + Wend swift o'er the fells, + Tread the murk-wood unknown, + All the Hunwood was shaking + As the hardy ones fared there; + O'er the green meads they urged + Their steeds shy of the goad. + + Then Atli's land saw they; + Great towers and strong, + And the bold men of Bikki, + Aloft on the burg: + The Southland folks' hall + Set with benches about, + Dight with bucklers well bounden, + And bright white shining shields. + + There drank Atli, + The awful Hun king, + Wine in his fair hall; + Without were the warders, + Gunnar's folk to have heed of, + Lest they had fared thither + With the whistling spear + War to wake 'gainst the king. + + But first came their sister + As they came to the hall, + Both her brethren she met, + With beer little gladdened: + "Bewrayed art thou, Gunnar! + What dost thou great king + To deal war to the Huns? + Go thou swift from the hall! + + Better, brother, hadst thou + Fared here in thy byrny + Than with helm gaily dight + Looked on Atli's great house: + Them hadst sat then in saddle + Through days bright with the sun + Fight to awaken + And fair fields to redden: + + "O'er the folk fate makes pale + Should the Norn's tears have fallen, + The shield mays of the Huns + Should have known of all sorrow; + And King Atli himself + To worm-close should be brought; + But now is the worm-close + Kept but for thee." + + Then spake Gunnar + Great 'mid the people: + "Over-late sister + The Niblungs to summon; + A long way to seek + The helping of warriors, + The high lord unshamed, + From the hills of the Rhine!" + + .............. + + Seven Hogni beat down + With his sword sharp-grinded, + And the eighth man he thrust + Amidst of the fire. + Ever so shall famed warrior + Fight with his foemen, + As Hogni fought + For the hand of Gunnar. + + But on Gunnar they fell, + And set him in fetters, + And bound hard and fast + That friend of Burgundians; + Then the warrior they asked + If he would buy life, + But life with gold + That king of the Goths. + + Nobly spake Gunnar, + Great lord of the Niblungs; + "Hogni's bleeding heart first + Shall lie in mine hand, + Cut from the breast + Of the bold-riding lord, + With bitter-sharp knife + From the son of the king." + + With guile the great one + Would they beguile, + On the wailing thrall + Laid they hand unwares, + And cut the heart + From out of Hjalli, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it to Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler, + Little like the heart + Of Hogni the hardy: + As much as it trembleth + Laid on the trencher + By the half more it trembled + In the breast of him hidden." + + Then laughed Hogni + When they cut the heart from him, + From the crest-smith yet quick, + Little thought he to quail. + The hard acorn of thought + From the high king they took, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hogni the hardy, + Little like to the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler. + Howso little it quaketh + Laid here on the dish, + Yet far less it quaked + In the breast of him laid. + + "So far mayst thou bide + From men's eyen, O Atli, + As from that treasure + Thou shalt abide! + + "Behold in my heart + Is hidden for ever + That hoard of the Niblungs, + Now Hogni is dead. + Doubt threw me two ways + While the twain of us lived, + But all that is gone + Now I live on alone. + + "The great Rhine shall rule + O'er the hate-raising treasure, + That gold of the Niblungs, + The seed of the gods: + In the weltering water + Shall that wealth lie a-gleaming, + Or it shine on the hands + Of the children of Huns!" + + Then cried Atli, + King of the Hun-folk, + "Drive forth your wains now + The slave is fast bounden." + And straightly thence + The bit-shaking steeds + Drew the hoard-warden, + The war-god to his death. + + Atli the great king, + Rode upon Glaum, + With shields set round about, + And sharp thorns of battle: + Gudrun, bound by wedlock + To these, victory made gods of, + Held back her tears + As the hall she ran into. + + "Let it fare with thee, Atli, + E'en after thine oaths sworn + To Gunnar fell often; + Yea, oaths sworn of old time, + By the sun sloping southward, + By the high burg of Sigry, + By the fair bed of rest, + By the red ring of Ull!" + + Now a host of men + Cast the high king alive + Into a close + Crept o'er within + With most foul worms, + Fulfilled of all venom, + Ready grave to dig + In his doughty heart. + + Wrathful-hearted he smote + The harp with his hand, + Gunnar laid there alone; + And loud rang the strings.-- + In such wise ever + Should hardy ring-scatterer + Keep gold from all folk + In the garth of his foeman. + + Then Atli would wend + About his wide land, + On his steed brazen shod, + Back from the murder. + Din there was in the garth, + All thronged with the horses; + High the weapon-song rose + From men come from the heath. + + Out then went Gudrun, + 'Gainst Atli returning, + With a cup gilded over, + To greet the land's ruler; + "Come, then, and take it, + King glad in thine hall, + From Gudrun's hands, + For the hell-farers groan not!" + + Clashed the beakers of Atli, + Wine-laden on bench, + As in hall there a-gathered, + The Huns fell a-talking, + And the long-bearded eager ones + Entered therein, + From a murk den new-come, + From the murder of Gunnar. + + Then hastened the sweet-faced + Delight of the shield-folk, + Bright in the fair hall, + Wine to bear to them: + The dreadful woman + Gave dainties withal + To the lords pale with fate, + Laid strange word upon Atli: + + "The hearts of thy sons + Hast thou eaten, sword-dealer, + All bloody with death + And drenched with honey: + In most heavy mood + Brood o'er venison of men! + Drink rich draughts therewith, + Down the high benches send it! + + "Never callest thou now + From henceforth to thy knee + Fair Erp or fair Eiril, + Bright-faced with the drink; + Never seest thou them now + Amidmost the seat, + Scattering the gold, + Or shafting of spears; + Manes trimming duly, + Or driving steeds forth!" + + Din arose from the benches, + Dread song of men was there, + Noise 'mid the fair hangings, + As all Hun's children wept; + All saving Gudrun, + Who never gat greeting, + For her brethren bear-hardy + For her sweet sons and bright, + The young ones, the simple + Once gotten with Atli. + + ............... + + The seed of gold + Sowed the swan-bright woman, + Rings of red gold + She gave to the house-carls; + Fate let she wax, + Let the bright gold flow forth, + In naught spared that woman + The store-houses' wealth. + + Atli unaware + Was a-weary with drink; + No weapon had he, + No heeding of Gudrun-- + Ah, the pity would be better, + When in soft wise they twain + Would full often embrace + Before the great lords! + + To the bed with sword-point + Blood gave she to drink + With a hand fain of death, + And she let the dogs loose: + Then in from the hall-door-- + --Up waked the house-carls-- + Hot brands she cast, + Gat revenge for her brethren. + + To the flame gave she all + Who therein might be found; + Fell adown the old timbers, + Reeked all treasure-houses; + There the shield-mays were burnt, + Their lives' span brought to naught; + In the fierce fire sank down + All the stead of the Budlungs. + + Wide told of is this-- + Ne'er sithence in the world, + Thus fared bride clad in byrny + For her brothers' avenging; + For behold, this fair woman + To three kings of the people, + Hath brought very death + Or ever she died! + + + + +THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN. + +Gudrun went down unto the sea whenas she had slain Atli, and she cast +herself therein, for she was fain to end her life: but nowise might +she drown. She drave over the firths to the land of King Jonakr, and he +wedded her, and their sons were Sorli, and Erp, and Hamdir, and there +was Swanhild, Sigurd's daughter, nourished: and she was given to +Jormunrek the Mighty. Now Bikki was a man of his, and gave such counsel +to Randver, the king's son, as that he should take her; and with that +counsel were the young folk well content. + +Then Bikki told the king, and the king let hang Randver, but bade +Swanhild be trodden under horses' feet. But when Gudrun heard thereof, +she spake to her sons-- + + Words of strife heard I, + Huger than any, + Woeful words spoken, + Sprung from all sorrow, + When Gudrun fierce-hearted + With the grimmest of words + Whetter her sons + Unto the slaying. + + "Why are ye sitting here? + Why sleep ye life away? + Why doth it grieve you nought? + Glad words to speak, + Now when your sister-- + Young of years was she-- + Has Jormunrek trodden + With the treading of horses?-- + + "Black horses and white + In the highway of warriors; + Grey horses that know + The roads of the Goths.-- + + "Little like are ye grown + To that Gunnar of old days! + Nought are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your mood were in aught + As the mood of my brethren, + Or the hardy hearts + Of the Kings of the Huns!" + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted-- + "Little didst thou + Praise Hogni's doings, + When Sigurd woke + From out of sleep, + And the blue-white bed-gear + Upon thy bed + Grew red with man's blood-- + With the blood of thy mate! + + "Too baleful vengeance + Wroughtest thou for thy brethren + Most sore and evil + When thy sons thou slewedst, + Else all we together + On Jormunrek + Had wrought sore vengeance + For that our sister. + + "Come, bring forth quickly + The Hun kings' bright gear, + Since thou has urged us + Unto the sword-Thing!" + + Laughing went Gudrun + To the bower of good gear, + Kings' crested helms + From chests she drew, + And wide-wrought byrnies + Bore to her sons: + Then on their horses + Load laid the heroes. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted-- + "Never cometh again + His mother to see + The spear-god laid low + In the land of the Goths. + That one arvel mayst thou + For all of us drink, + For sister Swanhild, + And us thy sons." + + Greeted Gudrun + Giuki's daughter; + Sorrowing she went + In the forecourt to sit, + That she might tell, + With cheeks tear-furrowed, + Her weary wail + In many a wise. + + "Three fires I knew, + Three hearths I knew, + To three husbands' houses + Have I been carried; + And better than all + Had been Sigurd alone, + He whom my brethren + Brought to his bane. + + "Such sore grief as that + Methought never should be, + Yet more indeed + Was left for my torment + Then, when the great ones + Gave me to Atli. + + "My fair bright boys + I bade unto speech, + Nor yet might I win + Weregild for my bale, + Ere I had hewn off + Those Niblungs' heads. + + "To the sea-strand I went + With the Norns sorely wroth, + For I would thrust from me + The storm of their torment; + But the high billows + Would not drown, but bore me + Forth, till I stepped a-land + Longer to live. + + "Then I went a-bed-- + --Ah, better in the old days, + This was the third time!-- + To a king of the people; + Offspring I brought forth, + Props of a fair house, + Props of a fair house, + Jonakr's fair sons. + + "But around Swanhild + Bond-maidens sat, + Her, that of all mine + Most to my heart was; + Such was my Swanhild, + In my hall's midmost, + As is the sunbeam + Fair to beheld. + + "In gold I arrayed her, + And goodly raiment, + Or ever I gave her + To the folk of the Goths. + That was the hardest + Of my heavy woes, + When the bright hair,-- + O the bright hair of Swanhild!-- + In the mire was trodden + By the treading of horses. + + "This was the sorest, + When my love, my Sigurd, + Reft of glory + In his bed gat ending: + But this the grimmest + When glittering worms + Tore their way + Through the heart of Gunnar. + + "But this the keenest + When they cut to the quick + Of the hardy heart + Of the unfeared Hogni. + Of much of bale I mind me, + Of many griefs I mind me; + Why should I sit abiding + Yet more bale and more? + + "Thy coal-black horse, + O Sigurd, bridle, + The swift on the highway! + O let him speed hither! + Here sitteth no longer + Son or daughter, + More good gifts + To give to Gudrun! + + "Mindst thou not, Sigurd, + Of the speech betwixt us, + When on one bed + We both sat together, + O my great king-- + That thou wouldst come to me + E'en from the hall of Hell, + I to thee from the fair earth? + + "Pile high, O earls + The oaken pile, + Let it be the highest + That ever queen had! + Let the fire burn swift, + My breast with woe laden, + And thaw all my heart, + Hard, heavy with sorrow!" + + Now may all earls + Be bettered in mind, + May the grief of all maidens + Ever be minished, + For this tale of sorrow + So told to its ending. + + + + +THE LAY OF HAMDIR + + Great deeds of bale + In the garth began, + At the sad dawning + The tide of Elves' sorrow + When day is a-waxing + And man's grief awaketh, + And the sorrow of each one + The early day quickeneth. + + Not now, not now, + Nor yesterday, + But long ago + Has that day worn by, + That ancientest time, + The first time to tell of, + Then, whenas Gudrun, + Born of Giuki, + Whetter her sons + To Swanhild's avenging. + + "Your sister's name + Was naught but Swanhild, + Whom Jormunrek + With horses has trodden!-- + White horses and black + On the war-beaten way, + Grey horses that go + On the roads of the Goths. + + "All alone am I now + As in holt is the aspen; + As the fir-tree of boughs, + So of kin am I bare; + As bare of things longed for + As the willow of leaves + When the bough-breaking wind + The warm day endeth. + + "Few, sad, are ye left + O kings of my folk! + Yet alone living + Last shreds of my kin! + + "Ah, naught are ye grown + As that Gunnar of old days; + Naught are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your hearts were in aught + As the hearts of my brethren!" + + Then spake Hamdir + The high-hearted: + "Nought hadst thou to praise + The doings of Hogni, + When they woke up Sigurd + From out of slumber, + And in bed thou sat'st up + 'Mid the banes-men's laughter. + + "Then when thy bed=gear, + Blue-white, well woven + By art of craftsmen + All swam with thy king's blood; + The Sigurd died, + O'er his dead corpse thou sattest, + Not heeding aught gladsome, + Since Gunnar so willed it. + + "Great grief for Atli + Gatst thou by Erp's murder, + And the end of thine Eitil, + But worse grief for thyself. + Good to use sword + For the slaying of others + In such wise that its edge + Shall not turn on ourselves!" + + Then well spake Sorli + From a heart full of wisdom: + "No words will I + Make with my mother, + Though both ye twain + Need words belike-- + What askest thou, Gudrun, + To let thee go greeting? + + "Weep for thy brethren, + Weep for thy sweet sons, + And thy nighest kinsfolk + Laid by the fight-side! + Yea, and thou Gudrun, + May'st greet for us twain + Sitting fey on our steeds + Doomed in far lands to die." + + From the garth forth they went + With hearts full of fury, + Sorli and Hamdir, + The sons of Gudrun, + And they met on the way + The wise in all wiles: + "And thou little Erp, + What helping from thee?" + + He of alien womb + Spake out in such wise: + "Good help for my kin, + Such as foot gives to foot, + Or flesh-covered hand + Gives unto hand!" + + "What helping for foot + That help that foot giveth, + Or for flesh-covered hand + The helping of hand?" + + Then spake Erp + Yet once again + Mock spake the prince + As he sat on his steed: + "Fool's deed to show + The way to a dastard!" + "Bold beyond measure," + Quoth they, "is the base-born!" + + Out from the sheath + Drew they the sheath-steel, + And the glaives' edges played + For the pleasure of hell; + By the third part they minished + The might that they had, + Their young kin they let lie + A-cold on the earth. + + Then their fur-cloaks they shook + And bound fast their swords, + In webs goodly woven + Those great ones were clad; + Young they went o'er the fells + Where the dew was new-fallen + Swift, on steeds of the Huns, + Heavy vengeance to wreak. + + Forth stretched the ways, + And an ill way they found, + Yea, their sister's son (1) + Hanging slain upon tree-- + Wolf-trees by the wind made cold + At the town's westward + Loud with cranes' clatter-- + Ill abiding there long! + + Din in the king's hall + Of men merry with drink, + And none might hearken + The horses' tramping + Or ever the warders + Their great horn winded. + + Then men went forth + To Jormunrek + To tell of the heeding + Of men under helm: + "Give ye good counsel! + Great ones are come hither, + For the wrong of men mighty + Was the may to death trodden." + + "Loud Jormunrek laughed, + And laid hand to his beard, + Nor bade bring his byrny, + But with the wine fighting, + Shook his red locks, + On his white shield sat staring, + And in his hand + Swung the gold cup on high. + + "Sweet sight for me + Those twain to set eyes on, + Sorli and Hamdir, + Here in my hall! + Then with bowstrings + Would I bind them, + And hang the good Giukings + Aloft on the gallows!" + + .............. + + Then spake Hrothglod + From off the high steps, + Spake the slim-fingered + Unto her son,-- + --For a threat was cast forth + Of what ne'er should fall-- + "Shall two men alone + Two hundred Gothfolk + Bind or bear down + In the midst of their burg?" + + ............... + + Strife and din in the hall, + Cups smitten asunder + Men lay low in blood + From the breasts of Goths flowing. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted: + "Thou cravedst, O king, + From the coming of us, + The sons of one mother, + Amidmost thine hall-- + Look on these hands of thine, + Look on these feet of thine, + Cast by us, Jormunrek, + On to the flame!" + + Then cried aloud + The high Gods' kinsman (2) + Bold under byrny,-- + Roared he as bears roar; + "Stones to the stout ones + That the spears bite not, + Nor the edges of steel, + These sons of Jonakr!" + + .............. + + QUOTH SORLI: + "Bale, brother, wroughtst thou + By that bag's (3) opening, + Oft from that bag + Rede of bale cometh! + Heart hast thou, Hamdir, + If thou hadst heart's wisdom + Great lack in a man + Who lacks wisdom and lore!" + + HAMDIR SAID: + "Yes, off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold + Whom we slew by the way; + The far-famed through the world-- + Ah, the fares drave me on, + And the man war made holy, + There must I slay!" + + SORLI SAID: + "Unmeet we should do + As the doings of wolves are, + Raising wrong each 'gainst other + As the dogs of the Norns, + The greedy ones nourished + In waste steads of the world. + + In strong wise have we fought, + On Goths' corpses we stand, + Beat down by our edges, + E'en as ernes on the bough. + Great fame our might winneth, + Die we now, or to-morrow,-- + No man lives till eve + Whom the fates doom at morning." + At the hall's gable-end + Fell Sorli to earth, + But Hamdir lay low + At the back of the houses. + +Now this is called the Ancient Lay of Hamdir. + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Randver, the son of their sister's husband. + (2) Odin, namely. + (3) "Bag", his mouth. + + + + +THE LAMENT OF ODDRUN. + +There was a king hight Heidrik, and his daughter was called Borgny, and +the name of her lover was Vilmund. Now she might nowise be made lighter +of a child she travailed with, before Oddrun, Atil's sister, came to +her,--she who had been the love of Gunnar, Giuki's son. But of their +speech together has this been sung: + + I have hear tell + In ancient tales + How a may there came + To Morna-land, + Because no man + On mould abiding + For Heidrik's daughter + Might win healing. + + All that heard Oddrun, + Atil's sister, + How that the damsel + Had heavy sickness, + So she led from stall + Her bridled steed, + And on the swart one + Laid the saddle. + + She made her horse wend + O'er smooth ways of earth, + Until to a high-built + Hall she came; + Then the saddle she had + From the hungry horse, + And her ways wended + In along the wide hall, + And this word first + Spake forth therewith: + + "What is most famed, + Afield in Hunland, + Or what may be + Blithest in Hunland?" + + QUOTH THE HANDMAID: + "Here lieth Borgny, + Borne down by trouble, + Thy sweet friend, O Oddrun, + See to her helping!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Who of the lords + Hath laid this grief on her, + Why is the anguish + Of Borgny so weary?" + + THE HANDMAID SAID: + "He is hight Vilmund, + Friend of hawk-bearers, + He wrapped the damsel + In the warm bed-gear + Five winters long + Without her father's wotting." + + No more than this + They spake methinks; + Kind sat she down + By the damsel's knee; + Mightily sand Oddrun, + Sharp piercing songs + By Borgny's side: + + Till a maid and a boy + Might tread on the world's ways, + Blithe babes and sweet + Of Hogni's bane: + Then the damsel forewearied + The word took up, + The first word of all + That had won from her: + + "So may help thee + All helpful things, + Fey and Freyia, + And all the fair Gods, + As thou hast thrust + This torment from me!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Yet no heart had I + For thy helping, + Since never wert thou + Worthy of helping, + But my word I held to, + That of old was spoken + When the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + That every soul + I would ever help." + + BORGNY SAID: + "Right mad art thou, Oddrun, + And reft of thy wits, + Whereas thou speakest + Hard words to me + Thy fellow ever + Upon the earth + As of brothers twain, + We had been born." + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Well I mind me yet, + What thou saidst that evening, + Whenas I bore forth + Fair drink for Gunnar; + Such a thing, saidst thou, + Should fall out never, + For any may + Save for me alone." + + Mind had the damsel + Of the weary day + Whenas the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + And she sat her down, + The sorrowful woman, + To tell of the bale, + And the heavy trouble. + + "Nourished was I + In the hall of kings-- + Most folk were glad-- + 'Mid the council of great ones: + In fair life lived I, + And the wealth of my father + For five winters only, + While yet he had life. + + "Such were the last words + That ever he spake, + The king forewearied, + Ere his ways he went; + For he bade folk give me + The gold red-gleaming, + And give me in Southlands + To the son of Grimhild. + + "But Brynhild he bade + To the helm to betake her, + And said that Death-chooser + She should become; + And that no better + Might ever be born + Into the world, + If fate would not spoil it. + + "Brynhild in bower + Sewed at her broidery, + Folk she had + And fair lands about her; + Earth lay a-sleeping, + Slept the heavens aloft + When Fafnir's-bane + The burg first saw. + + "Then was war waged + With the Welsh-wrought sword + And the burg all broken + That Brynhild owned; + Nor wore long space, + E'en as well might be, + Ere all those wiles + Full well she knew. + + "Hard and dreadful + Was the vengeance she drew down, + So that all we + Have woe enow. + Through all lands of the world + Shall that story fare forth + How she did her to death + For the death of Sigurd. + + "But therewithal Gunnar + The gold-scatterer + Did I fall to loving + And should have loved him. + Rings of red gold + Would they give to Atli, + Would give to my brother + Things goodly and great. + + "Yea, fifteen steads + Would they give for me, + And the load of Grani + To have as a gift; + But then spake Atli, + That such was his will, + Never gift to take + From the sons of Giuki. + + "But we in nowise + Might love withstand, + And mine head must I lay + On my love, the ring-breaker; + And many there were + Among my kin, + Who said that they + Had seen us together. + + "Then Atli said + That I surely never + Would fall to crime + Or shameful folly: + But now let no one + For any other, + That shame deny + Where love has dealing. + + "For Atli sent + His serving-folk + Wide through the murkwood + Proof to win of me, + And thither they came + Where they ne'er should have come, + Where one bed we twain + Had dight betwixt us. + + "To those men had we given + Rings of red gold, + Naught to tell + Thereof to Atli, + But straight they hastened + Home to the house, + And all the tale + To Atli told. + + 'Whereas from Gudrun + Well they hid it, + Though better by half + Had she have known it. + + ................ + + "Din was there to hear + Of the hoofs gold-shod, + When into the garth + Rode the sons of Giuki. + + "There from Hogni + The heart they cut, + But into the worm-close + Cast the other. + There the king, the wise-hearted, + Swept his harp-strings, + For the might king + Had ever mind + That I to his helping + Soon should come. + + "But now was I gone + Yet once again + Unto Geirmund, + Good feast to make; + Yet had I hearing, + E'en out from Hlesey, + How of sore trouble + The harp-strings sang. + + "So I bade the bondmaids + Be ready swiftly, + For I listed to save + The life of the king, + And we let our ship + Swim over the sound, + Till Atli's dwelling + We saw all clearly. + + Then came the wretch (1) + Crawling out, + E'en Atli's mother, + All sorrow upon her! + A grave gat her sting + In the heart of Gunnar, + So that no helping + Was left for my hero. + + "O gold-clad woman, + Full oft I wonder + How I my life + Still hold thereafter, + For methought I loved + That light in battle, + The swift with the sword, + As my very self. + + "Thou hast sat and hearkened + As I have told thee + Of many an ill-fate, + Mine and theirs-- + Each man liveth + E'en as he may live-- + Now hath gone forth + The greeting of Oddrun." + + + ENDNOTES: + (1) Atli's mother took the form of the only adder that was not + lulled to sleep by Gunnar's harp-playing, and who slew him. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga +Saga), by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS *** + +***** This file should be named 1152.txt or 1152.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/1152/ + +Produced by Douglas B. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + + + + + + + + + +The Story of the Volsungs +(Volsunga Saga), +with Excerpts from the Poetic Edda. + +Originally written in Icelandic (Old Norse) in the thirteenth +century A.D., by an unknown hand. However, most of the material +is based substantially on previous works, some centuries older. +A few of these works have been preserved in the collection of +Norse poetry known as the "Poetic Edda". + +The text of this edition is based on that published as "The Story +of the Volsungs", translated by William Morris and Eirikr +Magnusson (Walter Scott Press, London, 1888). + +This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by +Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@EnterAct.COM) + + +SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY: + +RECOMMENDED READING -- + +Anonymous: "Kudrun", Translated by Marion E. Gibbs & Sidney +Johnson (Garland Pub., New York, 1992). + +Anonymous: "Nibelungenlied", Translated by A.T. Hatto (Penguin +Classics, London, 1962). + +Saxo Grammaticus: "The First Nine Books of the Danish History", +Translated by Oliver Elton (London, 1894; Reissued by the Online +Medieval and Classical Library as E-Text OMACL #28, 1997). + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +It would seem fitting for a Northern folk, deriving the greater +and better part of their speech, laws, and customs from a +Northern root, that the North should be to them, if not a holy +land, yet at least a place more to be regarded than any part of +the world beside; that howsoever their knowledge widened of other +men, the faith and deeds of their forefathers would never lack +interest for them, but would always be kept in remembrance. One +cause after another has, however, aided in turning attention to +classic men and lands at the cost of our own history. Among +battles, "every schoolboy" knows the story of Marathon or +Salamis, while it would be hard indeed to find one who did more +than recognise the name, if even that, of the great fights of +Hafrsfirth or Sticklestead. The language and history of Greece +and Rome, their laws and religions, have been always held part of +the learning needful to an educated man, but no trouble has been +taken to make him familiar with his own people or their tongue. +Even that Englishman who knew Alfred, Bede, Caedmon, as well as +he knew Plato, Caesar, Cicero, or Pericles, would be hard bestead +were he asked about the great peoples from whom we sprang; the +warring of Harold Fairhair or Saint Olaf; the Viking (1) kingdoms +in these (the British) Western Isles; the settlement of Iceland, +or even of Normandy. The knowledge of all these things would now +be even smaller than it is among us were it not that there was +one land left where the olden learning found refuge and was kept +in being. In England, Germany, and the rest of Europe, what is +left of the traditions of pagan times has been altered in a +thousand ways by foreign influence, even as the peoples and their +speech have been by the influx of foreign blood; but Iceland held +to the old tongue that was once the universal speech of northern +folk, and held also the great stores of tale and poem that are +slowly becoming once more the common heritage of their +descendants. The truth, care, and literary beauty of its +records; the varied and strong life shown alike in tale and +history; and the preservation of the old speech, character, and +tradition -- a people placed apart as the Icelanders have been -- +combine to make valuable what Iceland holds for us. Not before +1770, when Bishop Percy translated Mallet's "Northern +Antiquities", was anything known here of Icelandic, or its +literature. Only within the latter part of this century has it +been studied, and in the brief book-list at the end of this +volume may be seen the little that has been done as yet. It is, +however, becoming ever clearer, and to an increasing number, how +supremely important is Icelandic as a word-hoard to the English- +speaking peoples, and that in its legend, song, and story there +is a very mine of noble and pleasant beauty and high manhood. +That which has been done, one may hope, is but the beginning of a +great new birth, that shall give back to our language and +literature all that heedlessness and ignorance bid fair for +awhile to destroy. + +The Scando-Gothic peoples who poured southward and westward over +Europe, to shake empires and found kingdoms, to meet Greek and +Roman in conflict, and levy tribute everywhere, had kept up their +constantly-recruited waves of incursion, until they had raised a +barrier of their own blood. It was their own kin, the sons of +earlier invaders, who stayed the landward march of the Northmen +in the time of Charlemagne. To the Southlands their road by land +was henceforth closed. Then begins the day of the Vikings, who, +for two hundred years and more, "held the world at ransom." +Under many and brave leaders they first of all came round the +"Western Isles" (2) toward the end of the eighth century; soon +after they invaded Normandy, and harried the coasts of France; +gradually they lengthened their voyages until there was no shore +of the then known world upon which they were unseen or unfelt. A +glance at English history will show the large part of it they +fill, and how they took tribute from the Anglo-Saxons, who, by +the way, were far nearer kin to them than is usually thought. In +Ireland, where the old civilisation was falling to pieces, they +founded kingdoms at Limerick and Dublin among other places; (3) +the last named, of which the first king, Olaf the White, was +traditionally descended of Sigurd the Volsung, (4) endured even +to the English invasion, when it was taken by men of the same +Viking blood a little altered. What effect they produced upon +the natives may be seen from the description given by the unknown +historian of the "Wars of the Gaedhil with the Gaill": "In a +word, although there were an hundred hard-steeled iron heads on +one neck, and an hundred sharp, ready, cool, never-rusting brazen +tongues in each head, and an hundred garrulous, loud, unceasing +voices from each tongue, they could not recount, or narrate, or +enumerate, or tell what all the Gaedhil suffered in common -- +both men and women, laity and clergy, old and young, noble and +ignoble -- of hardship, and of injury, and of oppression, in +every house, from these valiant, wrathful, purely pagan people. +Even though great were this cruelty, oppression, and tyranny, +though numerous were the oft-victorious clans of the many- +familied Erinn; though numerous their kings, and their royal +chiefs, and their princes; though numerous their heroes and +champions, and their brave soldiers, their chiefs of valour and +renown and deeds of arms; yet not one of them was able to give +relief, alleviation, or deliverance from that oppression and +tyranny, from the numbers and multitudes, and the cruelty and the +wrath of the brutal, ferocious, furious, untamed, implacable +hordes by whom that oppression was inflicted, because of the +excellence of their polished, ample, treble, heavy, trusty, +glittering corslets; and their hard, strong, valiant swords; and +their well-riveted long spears, and their ready, brilliant arms +of valour besides; and because of the greatness of their +achievements and of their deeds, their bravery, and their valour, +their strength, and their venom, and their ferocity, and because +of the excess of their thirst and their hunger for the brave, +fruitful, nobly-inhabited, full of cataracts, rivers, bays, pure, +smooth-plained, sweet grassy land of Erinn" -- (pp. 52-53). Some +part of this, however, must be abated, because the chronicler is +exalting the terror-striking enemy that he may still further +exalt his own people, the Dal Cais, who did so much under Brian +Boroimhe to check the inroads of the Northmen. When a book does +(5) appear, which has been announced these ten years past, we +shall have more material for the reconstruction of the life of +those times than is now anywhere accessible. Viking earldoms +also were the Orkneys, Faroes, and Shetlands. So late as 1171, +in the reign of Henry II., the year after Beckett's murder, Earl +Sweyn Asleifsson of Orkney, who had long been the terror of the +western seas, "fared a sea-roving" and scoured the western coast +of England, Man, and the east of Ireland, but was killed in an +attack on his kinsmen of Dublin. He had used to go upon a +regular plan that may be taken as typical of the homely manner of +most of his like in their cruising: "Sweyn had in the spring hard +work, and made them lay down very much seed, and looked much +after it himself. But when that toil was ended, he fared away +every spring on a viking-voyage, and harried about among the +southern isles and Ireland, and came home after midsummer. That +he called spring-viking. Then he was at home until the corn- +fields were reaped down, and the grain seen to and stored. Then +he fared away on a viking-voyage, and then he did not come home +till the winter was one month off, and that he called his autumn- +viking." (6) + +Toward the end of the ninth century Harold Fairhair, either +spurred by the example of Charlemagne, or really prompted, as +Snorri Sturluson tells us, resolved to bring all Norway under +him. As Snorri has it in "Heimskringla": "King Harold sent his +men to a girl hight Gyda.... The king wanted her for his leman; +for she was wondrous beautiful but of high mood withal. Now when +the messengers came there and gave their message to her, she made +answer that she would not throw herself away even to take a king +for her husband, who swayed no greater kingdom than a few +districts; `And methinks,' said she, `it is a marvel that no king +here in Norway will put all the land under him, after the fashion +that Gorm the Old did in Denmark, or Eric at Upsala.' The +messengers deemed this a dreadfully proud-spoken answer, and +asked her what she thought would come of such an one, for Harold +was so mighty a man that his asking was good enough for her. But +although she had replied to their saying otherwise than they +would, they saw no likelihood, for this while, of bearing her +along with them against her will, so they made ready to fare back +again. When they were ready and the folk followed them out, Gyda +said to the messengers -- `Now tell to King Harold these my +words: -- I will only agree to be his lawful wife upon the +condition that he shall first, for sake of me, put under him the +whole of Norway, so that he may bear sway over that kingdom as +freely and fully as King Eric over the realm of Sweden, or King +Gorm over Denmark; for only then, methinks, can he be called king +of a people.' Now his men came back to King Harold, bringing him +the words of the girl, and saying she was so bold and heedless +that she well deserved the king should send a greater troop of +people for her, and put her to some disgrace. Then answered the +king. `This maid has not spoken or done so much amiss that she +should be punished, but the rather should she be thanked for her +words. She has reminded me,' said he, `of somewhat that it seems +wonderful I did not think of before. And now,' added he, `I make +the solemn vow, and take who made me and rules over all things, +to witness that never shall I clip or comb my hair until I have +subdued all Norway with scatt, and duties, and lordships; or, if +not, have died in the seeking.' Guttorm gave great thanks to the +king for his oath, saying it was "royal work fulfilling royal +rede." The new and strange government that Harold tried to +enforce -- nothing less than the feudal system in a rough guise - +-- which made those who had hitherto been their own men save at +special times, the king's men at all times, and laid freemen +under tax, was withstood as long as might be by the sturdy +Norsemen. It was only by dint of hard fighting that he slowly +won his way, until at Hafrsfirth he finally crushed all effective +opposition. But the discontented, "and they were a great +multitude," fled oversea to the outlands, Iceland, the Faroes, +the Orkneys, and Ireland. The whole coast of Europe, even to +Greece and the shores of the Black Sea, the northern shores of +Africa, and the western part of Asia, felt the effects also. +Rolf Pad-th'-hoof, son of Harold's dear friend Rognvald, made an +outlaw for a cattle-raid within the bounds of the kingdom, betook +himself to France, and, with his men, founded a new people and a +dynasty. + +Iceland had been known for a good many years, but its only +dwellers had been Irish Culdees, who sought that lonely land to +pray in peace. Now, however, both from Norway and the Western +Isles settlers began to come in. Aud, widow of Olaf the White, +King of Dublin, came, bringing with her many of mixed blood, for +the Gaedhil (pronounced "Gael", Irish) and the Gaill (pronounced +"Gaul", strangers) not only fought furiously, but made friends +firmly, and often intermarried. Indeed, the Westmen were among +the first arrivals, and took the best parts of the island -- on +its western shore, appropriately enough. After a time the +Vikings who had settled in the Isles so worried Harold and his +kingdom, upon which they swooped every other while, that he drew +together a mighty force, and fell upon them wheresoever he could +find them, and followed them up with fire and sword; and this he +did twice, so that in those lands none could abide but folk who +were content to be his men, however lightly they might hold their +allegiance. Hence it was to Iceland that all turned who held to +the old ways, and for over sixty years from the first comer there +was a stream of hardy men pouring in, with their families and +their belongings, simple yeomen, great and warwise chieftains, +rich landowners, who had left their land "for the overbearing of +King Harold," as the "Landnamabok" (7) has it. "There also we +shall escape the troubling of kings and scoundrels", says the +"Vatsdaelasaga". So much of the best blood left Norway that the +king tried to stay the leak by fines and punishments, but in +vain. + +As his ship neared the shore, the new-coming chief would leave it +to the gods as to where he settled. The hallowed pillars of the +high seat, which were carried away from his old abode, were +thrown overboard, with certain rites, and were let drive with +wind and wave until they came ashore. The piece of land which +lay next the beach they were flung upon was then viewed from the +nearest hill-summit, and place of the homestead picked out. Then +the land was hallowed by being encircled with fire, parcelled +among the band, and marked out with boundary-signs; the houses +were built, the "town" or home-field walled in, a temple put up, +and the settlement soon assumed shape. In 1100 there were 4500 +franklins, making a population of about 50,000, fully three- +fourths of whom had a strong infusion of Celtic blood in them. +The mode of life was, and is, rather pastoral than aught else. +In the 39,200 square miles of the island's area there are now +about 250 acres of cultivated land, and although there has been +much more in times past, the Icelanders have always been forced +to reckon upon flocks and herds as their chief resources, grain +of all kinds, even rye, only growing in a few favoured places, +and very rarely there; the hay, self-sown, being the only certain +harvest. On the coast fishing and fowling were of help, but +nine-tenths of the folk lived by their sheep and cattle. +Potatoes, carrots, turnips, and several kinds of cabbage have, +however, been lately grown with success. They produced their own +food and clothing, and could export enough wool, cloth, horn, +dried fish, etc., as enabled them to obtain wood for building, +iron for tools, honey, wine, grain, etc, to the extent of their +simple needs. Life and work was lotted by the seasons and their +changes; outdoor work -- fishing, herding, hay-making, and fuel- +getting -- filling the long days of summer, while the long, dark +winter was used in weaving and a hundred indoor crafts. The +climate is not so bad as might be expected, seeing that the +island touches the polar circle, the mean temperature at +Reykjavik being 39 degrees. + +The religion which the settlers took with them into Iceland -- +the ethnic religion of the Norsefolk, which fought its last great +fight at Sticklestead, where Olaf Haraldsson lost his life and +won the name of Saint -- was, like all religions, a compound of +myths, those which had survived from savage days, and those which +expressed the various degrees of a growing knowledge of life and +better understanding of nature. Some historians and commentators +are still fond of the unscientific method of taking a later +religion, in this case christianity, and writing down all +apparently coincident parts of belief, as having been borrowed +from the christian teachings by the Norsefolk, while all that +remain they lump under some slighting head. Every folk has from +the beginning of time sought to explain the wonders of nature, +and has, after its own fashion, set forth the mysteries of life. +The lowest savage, no less than his more advanced brother, has a +philosophy of the universe by which he solves the world-problem +to his own satisfaction, and seeks to reconcile his conduct with +his conception of the nature of things. Now, it is not to be +thought, save by "a priori" reasoners, that such a folk as the +Northmen -- a mighty folk, far advanced in the arts of life, +imaginative, literary -- should have had no further creed than +the totemistic myths of their primitive state; a state they have +wholly left ere they enter history. Judging from universal +analogy, the religion of which record remains to us was just what +might be looked for at the particular stage of advancement the +Northmen had reached. Of course something may have been gained +from contact with other peoples -- from the Greeks during the +long years in which the northern races pressed upon their +frontier; from the Irish during the existence of the western +viking-kingdoms; but what I particularly warn young students +against is the constant effort of a certain order of minds to +wrest facts into agreement with their pet theories of religion or +what not. The whole tendency of the more modern investigation +shows that the period of myth-transmission is long over ere +history begins. The same confusion of different stages of myth- +making is to be found in the Greek religion, and indeed in those +of all peoples; similar conditions of mind produce similar +practices, apart from all borrowing of ideas and manners; in +Greece we find snake-dances, bear-dances, swimming with sacred +pigs, leaping about in imitation of wolves, dog-feasts, and +offering of dogs' flesh to the gods -- all of them practices +dating from crude savagery, mingled with ideas of exalted and +noble beauty, but none now, save a bigot, would think of accusing +the Greeks of having stolen all their higher beliefs. Even were +some part of the matter of their myths taken from others, yet the +Norsemen have given their gods a noble, upright, great spirit, +and placed them upon a high level that is all their own. (8) +From the prose Edda the following all too brief statement of the +salient points of Norse belief is made up: -- "The first and +eldest of gods is hight Allfather; he lives from all ages, and +rules over all his realm, and sways all things great and small; +he smithied heaven and earth, and the lift, and all that belongs +to them; what is most, he made man, and gave him a soul that +shall live and never perish; and all men that are right-minded +shall live and be with himself in Vingolf; but wicked men fare to +Hell, and thence into Niithell, that is beneath in the ninth +world. Before the earth `'twas the morning of time, when yet +naught was, nor sand nor sea was there, nor cooling streams. +Earth was not found, nor Heaven above; a Yawning-gap there was, +but grass nowhere.' Many ages ere the earth was shapen was +Niflheim made, but first was that land in the southern sphere +hight Muspell, that burns and blazes, and may not be trodden by +those who are outlandish and have no heritage there. Surtr sits +on the border to guard the land; at the end of the world he will +fare forth, and harry and overcome all the gods and burn the +world with fire. Ere the races were yet mingled, or the folk of +men grew, Yawning-gap, which looked towards the north parts, was +filled with thick and heavy ice and rime, and everywhere within +were fog and gusts; but the south side of Yawning-gap lightened +by the sparks and gledes that flew out of Muspell-heim; as cold +arose out of Niflheim and all things grim, so was that part that +looked towards Muspell hot and bright; but Yawning-gap was as +light as windless air, and when the blast of heat met the rime, +so that it melted and dropped and quickened; from those life- +drops there was shaped the likeness of a man, and he was named +Ymir; he was bad, and all his kind; and so it is said, when he +slept he fell into a sweat; then waxed under his left hand a man +and a woman, and one of his feet got a son with the other, and +thence cometh the Hrimthursar. The next thing when the rime +dropped was that the cow hight Audhumla was made of it; but four +milk-rivers ran out of her teats, and she fed Ymir; she licked +rime-stones that were salt, and the first day there came at even, +out of the stones, a man's hair, the second day a man's head, the +third day all the man was there. He is named Turi; he was fair +of face, great and mighty; he gat a son named Bor, who took to +him Besla, daughter of Bolthorn, the giant, and they had three +sons, Odin, Vili, and Ve. Bor's sons slew Ymir the giant, but +when he fell there ran so much blood out of his wounds that all +the kin of the Hrimthursar were drowned, save Hvergelmir and his +household, who got away in a boat. Then Bor's sons took Ymir and +bore him into the midst of Yawning-gap, and made of him the +earth; of his blood seas and waters, of his flesh earth was made; +they set the earth fast, and laid the sea round about it in a +ring without; of his bones were made rocks; stones and pebbles of +his teeth and jaws and the bones that were broken; they took his +skull and made the lift thereof, and set it up over the earth +with four sides, and under each corner they set dwarfs, and they +took his brain and cast it aloft, and made clouds. They took the +sparks and gledes that went loose, and had been cast out of +Muspellheim, and set them in the lift to give light; they gave +resting-places to all fires, and set some in the lift; some fared +free under it, and they gave them a place and shaped their +goings. A wondrous great smithying, and deftly done. The earth +is fashioned round without, and there beyond, round about it lies +the deep sea; and on that sea-strand the gods gave land for an +abode to the giant kind, but within on the earth made they a burg +round the world against restless giants, and for this burg reared +they the brows of Ymir, and called the burg Midgard. The gods +went along the sea-strand and found two stocks, and shaped out of +them men; the first gave soul and life, the second wit and will +to move, the third face, hearing, speech, and eyesight. They +gave them clothing and names; the man Ask and the woman Embla; +thence was mankind begotten, to whom an abode was given under +Midgard. Then next Bor's sons made them a burg in the midst of +the world, that is called Asgard; there abode the gods and their +kind, and wrought thence many tidings and feats, both on earth +and in the Sky. Odin, who is hight Allfather, for that he is the +father of all men and sat there in his high seat, seeing over the +whole world and each man's doings, and knew all things that he +saw. His wife was called Frigg, and their offspring is the Asa- +stock, who dwell in Asgard and the realms about it, and all that +stock are known to be gods. The daughter and wife of Odin was +Earth, and of her he got Thor, him followed strength and +sturdiness, thereby quells he all things quick; the strongest of +all gods and men, he has also three things of great price, the +hammer Miolnir, the best of strength belts, and when he girds +that about him waxes his god strength one-half, and his iron +gloves that he may not miss for holding his hammer's haft. +Balidr is Odin's second son, and of him it is good to say, he is +fair and: bright in face, and hair, and body, and him all praise; +he is wise and fair-spoken and mild, and that nature is in him +none may withstand his doom. Tyr is daring and best of mood; +there is a saw that he is tyrstrong who is before other men and +never yields; he is also so wise that it is said he is tyrlearned +who is wise. Bragi is famous for wisdom, and best in tongue-wit, +and cunning speech, and song-craft. `And many other are there, +good and great; and one, Loki, fair of face, ill in temper and +fickle of mood, is called the backbiter of the Asa, and speaker +of evil redes and shame of all gods and men; he has above all +that craft called sleight, and cheats all in all things. Among +the children of Loki are Fenris-wolf and Midgards-worm; the +second lies about all the world in the deep sea, holding his tail +in his teeth, though some say Thor has slain him; but Fenris-wolf +is bound until the doom of the gods, when gods and men shall come +to an end, and earth and heaven be burnt, when he shall slay +Odin. After this the earth shoots up from the sea, and it is +green and fair, and the fields bear unsown, and gods and men +shall be alive again, and sit in fair halls, and talk of old +tales and the tidings that happened aforetime. The head-seat, or +holiest-stead, of the gods is at Yggdrasil's ash, which is of all +trees best and biggest; its boughs are spread over the whole +world and stand above heaven; one root of the ash is in heaven, +and under the root is the right holy spring; there hold the gods +doom every day; the second root is with the Hrimthursar, where +before was Yawning-gap; under that root is Mimir's spring, where +knowledge and wit lie hidden; thither came Allfather and begged a +drink, but got it not before he left his eye in pledge; the third +root is over Niflheim, and the worm Nidhogg gnaws the root +beneath. A fair hall stands under the ash by the spring, and out +of it come three maidens, Norns, named Has-been, Being, Will-be, +who shape the lives of men; there are beside other Norns, who +come to every man that is born to shape his life, and some of +these are good and some evil. In the boughs of the ash sits an +eagle, wise in much, and between his eyes sits the hawk +Vedrfalnir; the squirrel Ratatoskr runs up and down along the +ash, bearing words of hate betwixt the eagle and the worm. Those +Norns who abide by the holy spring draw from it every day water, +and take the clay that lies around the well, and sprinkle them up +over the ash for that its boughs should not wither or rot. All +those men that have fallen in the fight, and borne wounds and +toil unto death, from the beginning of the world, are come to +Odin in Valhall; a very great throng is there, and many more +shall yet come; the flesh of the boar Soerfmnir is sodden for +them every day, and he is whole again at even; and the mead they +drink that flows from the teats of the she-goat Heidhrun. The +meat Odin has on his board he gives to his two wolves, Geri and +Freki, and he needs no meat, wine is to him both meat and drink; +ravens twain sit on his shoulders, and say into his ear all +tidings that they see and hear; they are called Huginn and Muninn +(mind and memory); them sends he at dawn to fly over the whole +world, and they come back at breakfast-tide, thereby becomes he +wise in many tidings, and for this men call him Raven's-god. +Every day, when they have clothed them, the heroes put on their +arms and go out into the yard and fight and fell each other; that +is their play, and when it looks toward mealtime, then ride they +home to Valhall and sit down to drink. For murderers and men +forsworn is a great hall, and a bad, and the doors look +northward; it is altogether wrought of adder-backs like a wattled +house, but the worms' heads turn into the house, and blow venom, +so that rivers of venom run along the hall, and in those rivers +must such men wade forever." There was no priest-class; every +chief was priest for his own folk, offered sacrifice, performed +ceremonies, and so on. + +In politics the homestead, with its franklin-owner, was the unit; +the "thing", or hundred-moot, the primal organisation, and the +"godord", or chieftainship, its tie. The chief who had led a +band of kinsmen and followers to the new country, taken +possession of land, and shared it among them, became their head- +ruler and priest at home, speaker and president of their Thing, +and their representative in any dealings with neighbouring chiefs +and their clients. He was not a feudal lord, for any franklin +could change his "godord" as he liked, and the right of "judgment +by peers" was in full use. At first there was no higher +organisation than the local thing. A central thing, and a +speaker to speak a single "law" for the whole island, was +instituted in 929, and afterwards the island was divided in four +quarters, each with a court, under the Al-thing. Society was +divided only into two classes of men, the free and unfree, though +political power was in the hands of the franklins alone; "godi" +and thrall ate the same food, spoke the same tongue, wore much +the same clothes, and were nearly alike in life and habits. +Among the free men there was equality in all but wealth and the +social standing that cannot be separated therefrom. The thrall +was a serf rather than a slave, and could own a house, etc., of +his own. In a generation or so the freeman or landless retainer, +if he got a homestead of his own, was the peer of the highest in +the land. During the tenth century Greenland was colonised from +Iceland, and by end of the same century christianity was +introduced into Iceland, but made at first little difference in +arrangements of society. In the thirteenth century disputes over +the power and jurisdiction of the clergy led, with other matters, +to civil war, ending in submission to Norway, and the breaking +down of all native great houses. Although life under the +commonwealth had been rough and irregular, it had been free and +varied, breeding heroes and men of mark; but the "law and order" +now brought in left all on a dead level of peasant +proprietorship, without room for hope or opening for ambition. +An alien governor ruled the island, which was divided under him +into local counties, administered by sheriffs appointed by the +king of Norway. The Al-thing was replaced by a royal court, the +local work of the local things was taken by a subordinate of the +sheriff, and things, quarter-courts, trial by jury, and all the +rest, were swept away to make room for these "improvements", +which have lasted with few changes into this century. In 1380 +the island passed under the rule of Denmark, and so continues. +(9) During the fifteenth century the English trade was the only +link between Iceland and the outer world; the Danish government +weakened that link as much as it could, and sought to shut in and +monopolise everything Icelandic; under the deadening effect of +such rule it is no marvel that everything found a lower level, +and many things went out of existence for lack of use. In the +sixteenth century there is little to record but the Reformation, +which did little good, if any, and the ravages of English, +Gascon, and Algerine pirates who made havoc on the coast; (10) +they appear toward the close of the century and disappear early +in the seventeenth. In the eighteenth century small-pox, sheep +disease, famine, and the terrible eruptions of 1765 and 1783, +follow one another swiftly and with terrible effect. At the +beginning of the present century Iceland, however, began to shake +off the stupor her ill-hap had brought upon her, and as European +attention had been drawn to her, she was listened to. +Newspapers, periodicals, and a Useful Knowledge Society were +started; then came free trade, and the "home-rule" struggle, +which met with partial success in 1874, and is still being +carried on. A colony, Gimli, in far-off Canada, has been formed +of Icelandic emigrants, and large numbers have left their mother- +land; but there are many co-operative societies organised now, +which it is hoped will be able to so revive the old resources of +the island as to make provision for the old population and ways +of life. There is now again a representative central council, +but very many of the old rights and powers have not been yet +restored. The condition of society is peculiar absence of +towns, social equality, no abject poverty or great wealth, rarity +of crime, making it easy for the whole country to be administered +as a co-operative commonwealth without the great and striking +changes rendered necessary by more complicated systems. + +Iceland. has always borne a high name for learning and +literature; on both sides of their descent people inherited +special poetic power. Some of older Eddaic fragments attest the +great reach and deep overpowering strength of imagination +possessed by their Norse ancestors; and they themselves had been +quickened by a new leaven. During the first generations of the +"land-taking" a great school of poetry which had arisen among the +Norsemen of the Western Isles was brought by them to Iceland. +(11) The poems then produced are quite beyond parallel with +those of any Teutonic language for centuries after their date, +which lay between the beginning of the ninth and the end of the +tenth centuries. Through the Greenland colony also came two, or +perhaps more, great poems of this western school. This school +grew out of the stress and storm of the viking life, with its +wild adventure and varied commerce, and the close contact with an +artistic and inventive folk, possessed of high culture and great +learning. The infusion of Celtic blood, however slight it may +have been, had also something to do with the swift intense +feeling and rapidity of passion of the earlier Icelandic poets. +They are hot-headed and hot-hearted, warm, impulsive, quick to +quarrel or to love, faithful, brave; ready with sword or song to +battle with all comers, or to seek adventure wheresoever it might +be found. They leave Iceland young, and wander at their will to +different courts of northern Europe, where they are always held +in high honour. Gunnlaug Worm-tongue (12) in 1004 carne to +England, after being in Norway, as the saga says: -- "Now sail +Gunnlaug and his fellows into the English main, and come at +autumntide south to London Bridge, where they hauled ashore their +ship. Now, at that time King Ethelred, the son of Edgar, ruled +over England, and was a good lord; the winter he sat in London. +But in those days there was the same tongue in England as in +Norway and Denmark; but the tongues changed when William the +Bastard won England, for thenceforward French went current there, +for he was of French kin. Gunnlaug went presently to the king, +and greeted him well and worthily. The king asked him from what +land he came, and Gunnlaug told him all as it was. `But,' said +he, `I have come to meet thee, lord, for that I have made a song +on thee, and I would that it might please thee to hearken to that +song.' The king said it should be so, and Gunnlaug gave forth +the song well and proudly, and this is the burden thereof -- + + "'As God are all folk fearing + The fire lord King of England, + Kin of all kings and all folk, + To Ethelred the head bow.' + +The king thanked him for the song, and gave him as song-reward a +scarlet cloak lined with the costliest of furs, and golden- +broidered down to the hem; and made him his man; and Gunnlaug was +with him all the winter, and was well accounted of." + +The poems in this volume are part of the wonderful fragments +which are all that remain of ancient Scandinavian poetry. Every +piece which survives has been garnered by Vigfusson and Powell in +the volumes of their "Corpus", where those who seek may find. A +long and illustrious line of poets kept the old traditions, down +even to within a couple centuries, but the earlier great harvest +of song was never again equalled. After christianity had entered +Iceland, and that, with other causes, had quieted men's lives, +although the poetry which stood to the folk in lieu of music did +not die away, it lost the exclusive hold it had upon men's minds. +In a time not so stirring, when emotion was not so fervent or so +swift, when there was less to quicken the blood, the story that +had before found no fit expression but in verse, could stretch +its limbs, as it were, and be told in prose. Something of Irish +influence is again felt in this new departure and that marvellous +new growth, the saga, that came from it, but is little more than +an influence. Every people find some one means of expression +which more than all else suits their mood or their powers, and +this the Icelanders found in the saga. This was the life of a +hero told in prose, but in set form, after a regular fashion that +unconsciously complied with all epical requirements but that of +verse -- simple plot, events in order of time, set phrases for +even the shifting emotion or changeful fortune of a fight or +storm, and careful avoidance of digression, comment, or putting +forward by the narrator of ought but the theme he has in hand; he +himself is never seen. Something in the perfection of the saga +is to be traced to the long winter's evenings, when the whole +household, gathered together at their spinning, weaving, and so +on, would listen to one of their number who told anew some old +story of adventure or achievement. In very truth the saga is a +prose epic, and marked by every quality an epic should possess. +Growing up while the deeds of dead heroes were fresh in memory, +most often recited before the sharers in such deeds, the saga, in +its pure form, never goes from what is truth to its teller. +Where the saga, as this one of the Volsungs is founded upon the +debris of songs and poems, even then very old, tales of +mythological heroes, of men quite removed from the personal +knowledge of the narrator, yet the story is so inwound with the +tradition of his race, is so much a part of his thought-life, +that every actor in it has for him a real existence. At the +feast or gathering, or by the fireside, as men made nets and +women spun, these tales were told over; in their frequent +repetition by men who believed them, though incident or sequence +underwent no change, they would become closer knit, more +coherent, and each an organic whole. Gradually they would take a +regular and accepted form, which would ease the strain upon the +reciter's memory and leave his mind free to adorn the story with +fair devices, that again gave help in the making it easier to +remember, and thus aided in its preservation. After a couple of +generations had rounded and polished the sagas by their telling +and retelling, they were written down for the most part between +1141 and 1220, and so much was their form impressed upon the mind +of the folk, that when learned and literary works appeared, they +were written in the same style; hence we have histories alike of +kingdoms, or families, or miracles, lives of saints, kings, or +bishops in saga-form, as well as subjects that seem at first +sight even less hopeful. All sagas that have yet appeared in +English may be found in the book-list at end of this volume, but +they are not a tithe of those that remain. + +Of all the stories kept in being by the saga-tellers and left for +our delight, there is none that so epitomises human experience; +has within the same space so much of nature and of life; so fully +the temper and genius of the Northern folk, as that of the +Volsungs and Niblungs, which has in varied shapes entered into +the literature of many lands. In the beginning there is no doubt +that the story belonged to the common ancestral folk of all the +Teutonic of Scando-Gothic peoples in the earliest days of their +wanderings. Whether they came from the Hindu Kush, or originated +in Northern Europe, brought it with them from Asia, or evolved it +among the mountains and rivers it has taken for scenery, none +know nor can; but each branch of their descendants has it in one +form or another, and as the Icelanders were the very crown and +flower of the northern folk, so also the story which is the +peculiar heritage of that folk received in their hands its +highest expression and most noble form. The oldest shape in +which we have it is in the Eddaic poems, some of which date from +unnumbered generations before the time to which most of them are +usually ascribed, the time of the viking-kingdoms in the Western +Isles. In these poems the only historical name is that of +Attila, the great Hun leader, who filled so large a part of the +imagination of the people whose power he had broken. There is no +doubt that, in the days when the kingdoms of the Scando-Goths +reached from the North Cape to the Caspian, that some earlier +great king performed his part; but, after the striking career of +Attila, he became the recognised type of a powerful foreign +potentate. All the other actors are mythic-heroic. Of the +Eddaic songs only fragments now remain, but ere they perished +there arose from them a saga, that now given to the readers of +this. The so-called Anglo-Saxons brought part of the story to +England in "Beowulf"; in which also appear some incidents that +are again given in the Icelandic saga of "Grettir the Strong". +Most widely known is the form taken by the story in the hands of +an unknown medieval German poet, who, from the broken ballads +then surviving wrote the "Nibelungenlied" or more properly +"Nibelungen Not" ("The Need of the Niblungs"). In this the +characters are all renamed, some being more or less historical +actors in mid-European history, as Theodoric of the East-Goths, +for instance. The whole of the earlier part of the story has +disappeared, and though Siegfried (Sigurd) has slain a dragon, +there is nothing to connect it with the fate that follows the +treasure; Andvari, the Volsungs, Fafnir, and Regin are all +forgotten; the mythological features have become faint, and the +general air of the whole is that of medieval romance. The swoard +Gram is replaced by Balmung, and the Helm of Awing by the +Tarn-cap -- the former with no gain, the latter with great loss. +The curse of Andvari, which in the saga is grimly real, working +itself out with slow, sure steps that no power of god or man can +turn aside, in the medieval poem is but a mere scenic effect, a +strain of mystery and magic, that runs through the changes of the +story with much added picturesqueness, but that has no obvious +relation to the working-out of the plot, or fulfilment of their +destiny by the different characters. Brynhild loses a great +deal, and is a poor creature when compared with herself in the +saga; Grimhild and her fateful drink have gone; Gudrun +(Chriemhild)is much more complex, but not more tragic; one new +character, Rudiger, appears as the type of chivalry; but Sigurd +(Siegfred) the central figure, though he has lost by the omission +of so much of his life, is, as before, the embodiment of all the +virtues that were dear to northern hearts. Brave, strong, +generous, dignified, and utterly truthful, he moves amid a tangle +of tragic events, overmastered by a mighty fate, and in life or +death is still a hero without stain or flaw. It is no wonder +that he survives to this day in the national songs of the Faroe +Islands and in the folk-ballads of Denmark; that his legend +should have been mingled with northern history through Ragnar +Lodbrog, or southern through Attila and Theodoric; that it should +have inspired William Morris in producing the one great English +epic of the century; (13) and Richard Wagner in the mightiest +among his music-dramas. Of the story as told in the saga there +is no need here to speak, for to read it, as may be done a few +pages farther on, is that not better than to read about it? But +it may be urged upon those that are pleased and moved by the +passion and power, the strength and deep truth of it, to find out +more than they now know of the folk among whom it grew, and the +land in which they dwelt. In so doing they will come to see how +needful are a few lessons from the healthy life and speech of +those days, to be applied in the bettering of our own. + +H. HALLIDAY SPARLiNG. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Viking (Ice. "Vikingr"; "vik", a bay or creek, "ingr", + beloning to, (or men of) freebooters. +(2) "West over the Sea" is the word for the British Isles. +(3) See Todd (J. H.). "War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill". +(4) He was son of Ingiald, son of Thora, daughter of Sigurd + Snake-I'-th'-eye, son of Ragnar Lodbrok by Aslaug, daughter + of Sigurd by Brynhild. The genealogy is, doubtless, quite + mythical. +(5) A Collection of Sagas and other Historical Documents + relating to the Settlements and Descents of the Northmen on + the British Isles. Ed., G. W. Dasent, D.C.L, and Gudbrand + Vigfusson, M.A. "In the Press. Longmans, London. 8vo. +(6) "Orkneyinga Saga". +(7) Landtaking-book -- "landnam", landtaking, from "at nema + land", hence also the early settlers were called + "landnamsmenn". +(8) To all interested in the subject of comparative mythology, + Andrew Lang's two admirable books, "Custom and Myth" (1884, + 8vo) and "Myth, Ritual, and Religion" (2 vols., crown 8vo, + 1887), both published by Longmans, London, may be warmly + recommended. +(9) Iceland was granted full independence from Denmark in 1944. + -- DBK. +(10) These pirates are always appearing about the same time in + English State papers as plundering along the coasts of the + British Isles, especially Ireland. +(11) For all the old Scandinavian poetry extant in Icelandic, see + "Corpus Poeticum Borealis" of Vigfusson and Powell. +(12) Snake-tongue -- so called from his biting satire. +(13) "Sigurd the Volsung", which seems to have become all but + forgotten in this century. -- DBK. + + + +TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. + +In offering to the reader this translation of the most complete +and dramatic form of the great Epic of the North, we lay no claim +to special critical insight, nor do we care to deal at all with +vexed questions, but are content to abide by existing +authorities, doing our utmost to make our rendering close and +accurate, and, if it might be so, at the same time, not over +prosaic: it is to the lover of poetry and nature, rather than to +the student, that we appeal to enjoy and wonder at this great +work, now for the first time, strange to say, translated into +English: this must be our excuse for speaking here, as briefly as +may be, of things that will seem to the student over well known +to be worth mentioning, but which may give some ease to the +general reader who comes across our book. + +The prose of the "Volsunga Saga" was composed probably some time +in the twelfth century, from floating traditions no doubt; from +songs which, now lost, were then known, at least in fragments, to +the Sagaman; and finally from songs, which, written down about +his time, are still existing: the greater part of these last the +reader will find in this book, some inserted amongst the prose +text by the original story-teller, and some by the present +translators, and the remainder in the latter part of the book, +put together as nearly as may be in the order of the story, and +forming a metrical version of the greater portion of it. + +These Songs from the Elder Edda we will now briefly compare with +the prose of the Volsung Story, premising that these are the only +metrical sources existing of those from which the Sagaman told +his tale. + +Except for the short snatch on p. 24 (1) of our translation, +nothing is now left of these till we come to the episode of Helgi +Hundings-bane, Sigurd's half-brother; there are two songs left +relating to this, from which the prose is put together; to a +certain extent they cover the same ground; but the latter half of +the second is, wisely as we think, left untouched by the Sagaman, +as its interest is of itself too great not to encumber the +progress of the main story; for the sake of its wonderful beauty, +however, we could not refrain from rendering it, and it will be +found first among the metrical translations that form the second +part of this book. + +Of the next part of the Saga, the deaths of Sinfjotli and +Sigmund, and the journey of Queen Hjordis to the court of King +Alf, there is no trace left of any metrical origin; but we meet +the Edda once more where Regin tells the tale of his kin to +Sigurd, and where Sigurd defeats and slays the sons of Hunding: +this lay is known as the "Lay of Regin". + +The short chap. xvi. is abbreviated from a long poem called the +"Prophecy of Gripir" (the Grifir of the Saga), where the whole +story to come is told with some detail, and which certainly, if +drawn out at length into the prose, would have forestalled the +interest of the tale. + +In the slaying of the Dragon the Saga adheres very closely to the +"Lay of Fafnir"; for the insertion of the song of the birds to +Sigurd the present translators are responsible. + +Then comes the waking of Brynhild, and her wise redes to Sigurd, +taken from the Lay of Sigrdrifa, the greater part of which, in +its metrical form, is inserted by the Sagaman into his prose; but +the stanza relating Brynhild's awaking we have inserted into the +text; the latter part, omitted in the prose, we have translated +for the second part of our book. + +Of Sigurd at Hlymdale, of Gudrun's dream, the magic potion of +Grimhild, the wedding of Sigurd consequent on that potion; of the +wooing of Brynhild for Gunnar, her marriage to him, of the +quarrel of the Queens, the brooding grief and wrath of Brynhild, +and the interview of Sigurd with her -- of all this, the most +dramatic and best-considered parts of the tale, there is now no +more left that retains its metrical form than the few snatches +preserved by the Sagaman, though many of the incidents are +alluded to in other poems. + +Chap. xxx. is met by the poem called the "Short Lay of Sigurd", +which, fragmentary apparently at the beginning, gives us +something of Brynhild's awakening wrath and jealousy, the slaying +of Sigurd, and the death of Brynhild herself; this poem we have +translated entire. + +The Fragments of the "Lay of Brynhild" are what is left of a poem +partly covering the same ground as this last, but giving a +different account of Sigurd's slaying; it is very incomplete, +though the Sagaman has drawn some incidents from it; the reader +will find it translated in our second part. + +But before the death of the heroine we have inserted entire into +the text as chap. xxxi. the "First Lay of Gudrun", the most +lyrical, the most complete, and the most beautiful of all the +Eddaic poems; a poem that any age or language might count among +its most precious possessions. + +From this point to the end of the Saga it keeps closely to the +Songs of Edda; in chap. xxxii. the Sagaman has rendered into +prose the "Ancient Lay of Gudrun", except for the beginning, +which gives again another account of the death of Sigurd: this +lay also we have translated. + +The grand poem, called the "Hell-ride of Brynhild", is not +represented directly by anything in the prose except that the +Sagaman has supplied from it a link or two wanting in the "Lay of +Sigrdrifa"; it will be found translated in our second part. + +The betrayal and slaughter of the Giukings or Niblungs, and the +fearful end of Atli and his sons, and court, are recounted in two +lays, called the "Lays of Atli"; the longest of these, the +"Greenland Lay of Atli", is followed closely by the Sagaman; the +Shorter one we have translated. + +The end of Gudrun, of her daughter by Sigurd and of her sons by +her last husband Jonakr, treated of in the last four chapters of +the Saga, are very grandly and poetically given in the songs +called the "Whetting of Gudrun", and the "Lay of Hamdir", which +are also among our translations. + +These are all the songs of the Edda which the Sagaman has dealt +with; but one other, the "Lament of Oddrun", we have translated +on account of its intrinsic merit. + +As to the literary quality of this work we in say much, but we +think we may well trust the reader of poetic insight to break +through whatever entanglement of strange manners or unused +element may at first trouble him, and to meet the nature and +beauty with which it is filled: we cannot doubt that such a +reader will be intensely touched by finding, amidst all its +wildness and remoteness, such a startling realism, such subtilty, +such close sympathy with all the passions that may move himself +to-day. + +In conclusion, we must again say how strange it seems to us, that +this Volsung Tale, which is in fact an unversified poem, should +never before been translated into English. For this is the Great +Story of the North, which should be to all our race what the Tale +of Troy was to the Greeks -- to all our race first, and +afterwards, when the change of the world has made our race +nothing more than a name of what has been -- a story too -- then +should it be to those that come after us no less than the Tale of +Troy has been to us. + +WILLIAM MORRIS and EIRIKR MAGNUSSON. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Chapter viii. -- DBK. + + + +THE STORY OF THE VOLSUNGS AND NIBLUNGS. + + +CHAPTER I. +Of Sigi, the Son of Odin. + +Here begins the tale, and tells of a man who was named Sigi, and +called of men the son of Odin; another man withal is told of in +the tale, hight Skadi, a great man and mighty of his hands; yet +was Sigi the mightier and the higher of kin, according to the +speech of men of that time. Now Skadi had a thrall with whom the +story must deal somewhat, Bredi by name, who was called after +that work which he had to do; in prowess and might of hand he was +equal to men who were held more worthy, yea, and better than some +thereof. + +Now it is to be told that, on a time, Sigi fared to the hunting +of the deer, and the thrall with him; and they hunted deer day- +long till the evening; and when they gathered together their prey +in the evening, lo, greater and more by far was that which Bredi +had slain than Sigi's prey; and this thing he much misliked, and +he said that great wonder it was that a very thrall should out-do +him in the hunting of deer: so he fell on him and slew him, and +buried the body of him thereafter in a snow-drift. + +Then he went home at evening tide and says that Bredi had ridden +away from him into the wild-wood. "Soon was he out of my sight," +he says, "and naught more I wot of him." + +Skadi misdoubted the tale of Sigi, and deemed that this was a +guile of his, and that he would have slain Bredi. So he sent men +to seek for him, and to such an end came their seeking, that they +found him in a certain snow-drift; then said Skadi, that men +should call that snow-drift Bredi's Drift from henceforth; and +thereafter have folk followed, so that in such wise they call +every drift that is right great. + +Thus it is well seen that Sigi has slain the thrall and murdered +him; so he is given forth to be a wolf in holy places, (1) and +may no more abide in the land with his father; therewith Odin +bare him fellowship from the land, so long a way, that right long +it was, and made no stay till he brought him to certain war- +ships. So Sigi falls to lying out a-warring with the strength +that his father gave him or ever they parted; and happy was he in +his warring, and ever prevailed, till he brought it about that he +won by his wars land and lordship at the last; and thereupon he +took to him a noble wife, and became a great and mighty king, and +ruled over the land of the Huns, and was the greatest of +warriors. He had a son by his wife, who was called Refit, who +grew up in his father's house, and soon became great of growth, +and shapely. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) "Wolf in holy places," a man put out of the pale of society + for crimes, an outlaw. + + + +CHAPTER II. +Of the Birth of Volsung, the Son of Rerir, who was the Son of +Sigi. + +Now Sigi grew old, and had many to envy him, so that at last +those turned against him whom he trusted most; yea, even the +brothers of his wife; for these fell on him at his unwariest, +when there were few with him to withstand them, and brought so +many against him, that they prevailed against him, and there fell +Sigi and all his folk with him. But Rerir, his son, was not in +this trouble, and he brought together so mighty a strength of his +friends and the great men of the land, that he got to himself +both the lands and kingdom of Sigi his father; and so now, when +he deems that the feet under him stand firm in his rule, then he +calls to mind that which he had against his mother's brothers, +who had slain his father. So the king gathers together a mighty +army, and therewith falls on his kinsmen, deeming that if he made +their kinship of small account, yet none the less they had first +wrought evil against him. So he wrought his will herein, in that +he departed not from strife before he had slain all his father's +banesmen, though dreadful the deed seemed in every wise. So now +he gets land, lordship, and fee, and is become a mightier man +than his father before him. + +Much wealth won in war gat Rerir to himself, and wedded a wife +withal, such as he deemed meet for him, and long they lived +together, but had no child to take the heritage after them; and +ill-content they both were with that, and prayed the Gods with +heart and soul that they might get them a child. And so it is +said that Odin hears their prayer, and Freyia no less hearkens +wherewith they prayed unto her: so she, never lacking for all +good counsel, calls to her her casket-bearing may, (1) the +daughter of Hrimnir the giant, and sets an apple in her hand, and +bids her bring it to the king. She took the apple, and did on +her the gear of a crow, and went flying till she came whereas the +king sat on a mound, and there she let the apple fall into the +lap of the king; but he took the apple and deemed he knew whereto +it would avail; so he goes home from the mound to his own folk, +and came to the queen, and some deal of that apple she ate. + +So, as the tale tells, the queen soon knew that she big with +child, but a long time wore or ever she might give birth to the +child: so it befell that the king must needs go to the wars, +after the custom of kings, that he may keep his own land in +peace: and in this journey it came to pass that Rerir fell sick +and got his death, being minded to go home to Odin, a thing much +desired of many folk in those days. + +Now no otherwise it goes with the queen's sickness than +heretofore, nor may she be the lighter of her child, and six +winters wore away with the sickness still heavy on her; so that +at the last she feels that she may not live long; wherefore now +she bade cut the child from out of her; and it was done even as +she bade; a man-child was it, and great of growth from his birth, +as might well be; and they say that the youngling kissed his +mother or ever she died; but to him is a name given, and he is +called Volsung; and he was king over Hunland in the room of his +father. From his early years he was big and strong, and full of +daring in all manly deeds and trials, and he became the greatest +of warriors, and of good hap in all the battles of his warfaring. + +Now when he was fully come to man's estate, Hrimnir the giant +sends to him Ljod his daughter; she of whom the tale told, that +she brought the apple to Rerir, Volsung's father. So Volsung +weds her withal; and long they abode together with good hap and +great love. They had ten sons and one daughter, and their eldest +son was hight Sigmund, and their daughter Signy; and these two +were twins, and in all wise the foremost and the fairest of the +children of Volsung the king, and mighty, as all his seed was; +even as has been long told from ancient days, and in tales of +long ago, with the greatest fame of all men, how that the +Volsungs have been great men and high-minded and far above the +most of men both in cunning and in prowess and all things high +and mighty. + +So says the story that king Volsung let build a noble hall in +such a wise, that a big oak-tree stood therein, and that the +limbs of the tree blossomed fair out over the roof of the hall, +while below stood the trunk within it, and the said trunk did men +call Branstock. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) May (A.S. "maeg"), a maid. + + + +CHAPTER III. +Of the Sword that Sigmund, Volsung's son, drew from the +Branstock. + +There was a king called Siggeir, who ruled over Gothland, a +mighty king and of many folk; he went to meet Volsung, the king, +and prayed him for Signy his daughter to wife; and the king took +his talk well, and his sons withal, but she was loth thereto, yet +she bade her father rule in this as in all other things that +concerned her, so the king took such rede (1) that he gave her to +him, and she was betrothed to King Siggeir; and for the +fulfilling of the feast and the wedding, was King Siggeir to come +to the house of King Volsung. The king got ready the feast +according to his best might, and when all things were ready, came +the king's guests and King Siggeir withal at the day appointed, +and many a man of great account had Siggeir with him. + +The tale tells that great fires were made endlong the hall, and +the great tree aforesaid stood midmost thereof, withal folk say +that, whenas men sat by the fires in the evening, a certain man +came into the hall unknown of aspect to all men; and suchlike +array he had, that over him was a spotted cloak, and he was bare- +foot, and had linen-breeches knit tight even unto the bone, and +he had a sword in his hand as he went up to the Branstock, and a +slouched hat upon his head: huge he was, and seeming-ancient, and +one-eyed. (2) So he drew his sword and smote it into the tree- +trunk so that it sank in up to the hilts; and all held back from +greeting the man. Then he took up the word, and said -- + +"Whoso draweth this sword from this stock, shall have the same as +a gift from me, and shall find in good sooth that never bare he +better sword in hand than is this." + +Therewith out went the old man from the hall, and none knew who +he was or whither he went. + +Now men stand up, and none would fain be the last to lay hand to +the sword, for they deemed that he would have the best of it who +might first touch it; so all the noblest went thereto first, and +then the others, one after other; but none who came thereto might +avail to pull it out, for in nowise would it come away howsoever +they tugged at it; but now up comes Sigmund, King Volsung's son, +and sets hand to the sword, and pulls it from the stock, even as +if it lay loose before him; so good that weapon seemed to all, +that none thought he had seen such a sword before, and Siggeir +would fain buy it of him at thrice its weight of gold, but +Sigmund said -- + +"Thou mightest have taken the sword no less than I from there +whereas it stood, if it had been thy lot to bear it; but now, +since it has first of all fallen into my hand, never shalt thou +have it, though thou biddest therefor all the gold thou hast." + +King Siggeir grew wroth at these words, and deemed Sigmund had +answered him scornfully, but whereas was a wary man and a double- +dealing, he made as if he heeded this matter in nowise, yet that +same evening he thought how he might reward it, as was well seen +afterwards. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Rede (A.S. raed), counsel, advice, a tale or prophecy. +(2) The man is Odin, who is always so represented, because he + gave his eye as a pledge for a draught from the fountain of + Mimir, the source of all wisdom. + + + +CHAPTER IV. +How King Siggeir wedded Signy, and bade King Volsung and his son +to Gothland. + +Now it is to be told that Siggeir goes to bed by Signy that +night, and the next morning the weather was fair; then says King +Siggeir that he will not bide, lest the wind should wax, or the +sea grow impassable; nor is it said that Volsung or his sons +letted him herein, and that the less, because they saw that he +was fain to get him gone from the feast. But now says Signy to +her father -- + +"I have no will to go away with Seggeir, neither does my heart +smile upon him, and I wot, by my fore-knowledge, and from the +fetch (1) of our kin, that from this counsel will great evil fall +on us if this wedding be not speedily undone." + +"Speak in no such wise, daughter!" said he, "for great shame will +it be to him, yea, and to us also, to break troth with him, he +being sackless; (2) and in naught may we trust him, and no +friendship shall we have of him, if these matters are broken off; +but he will pay us back in as evil wise as he may; for that alone +is seemly, to hold truly to troth given." + +So King Siggeir got ready for home, and before he went from the +feast he bade King Volsung, his father-in-las, come see him in +Gothland, and all his sons with him whenas three months should be +overpast, and to bring such following with him, as he would have, +and as he deemed meet for his honour; and thereby will Siggeir +the king pay back for the shortcomings of the wedding-feast, in +that he would abide thereat but one night only, a thing not +according to the wont of men. So King Volsung gave word to come +on the day named, and the kinsmen-in-law parted, and Siggeir went +home with his wife. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Fetch; wraith, or familiar spirit. +(2) Sackless (A.S. "sacu", Icel. "sok".) blameless. + + + +CHAPTER V. +Of the Slaying of King Volsung. + +Now tells the tale of King Volsung and his sons that they go at +the time appointed to Gothland at the bidding of King Siggeir, +and put off from the land in three ships, all well manned, and +have a fair voyage, and made Gothland late of an evening tide. + +But that same night came Signy and called her father and brothers +to a privy talk, and told them what she deemed King Siggeir was +minded to do, and how that he had drawn together an army no man +may meet. "And," says she, "he is minded to do guilefully by +you; wherefore I bid you get ye gone back again to your own land, +and gather together the mightiest power ye may, and then come +back hither and avenge you; neither go ye now to your undoing, +for ye shall surely fail not to fall by his wiles if ye turn not +on him even as I bid you." + +Then spake Volsung the king, "All people and nations shall tell +of the word I spake, yet being unborn, wherein I vowed a vow that +I would flee in fear from neither fire nor the sword; even so +have I done hitherto, and shall I depart therefrom now I am old? +Yea withal never shall the maidens mock these my sons at the +games, and cry out at them that they fear death; once alone must +all men need die, and from that season shall none escape; so my +rede is that we flee nowhither, but do the work of our hands in +as manly wise as we may; a hundred fights have I fought and +whiles I had more, and whiles I had less, and yet even had I the +victory, nor shall it ever be heard tell of me that I fled away +or prayed for peace." + +Then Signy wept right sore, and prayed that she might not go back +to King Siggeir, but King Volsung answered -- + +"Thou shalt surely go back to thine husband, and abide with him, +howsoever it fares with us." + +So Signy went home, and they abode there that night but in the +morning, as soon as it was day, Volsung bade his men arise and go +aland and make them ready for battle; so they went aland, all of +them all-armed, and had not long to wait before Siggeir fell on +them with all his army, and the fiercest fight there was betwixt +them; and Siggeir cried on his men to the onset all he might; and +so the tale tells that King Volsung and his sons went eight times +right through Siggeir's folk that day, smiting and hewing on +either hand, but when they would do so even once again, King +Volsung fell amidst his folk and all his men withal, saving his +ten sons, for mightier was the power against them than they might +withstand. + +But now are all his sons taken, and laid in bonds and led away; +and Signy was ware withal that her father was slain, and her +brothers taken and doomed to death, that she called King Siggeir +apart to talk with her, and said -- + +"This will I pray of thee, that thou let not slay my brothers +hastily, but let them be set awhile in the stocks, for home to me +comes the saw that says, "Sweet to eye while seen": but longer +life I pray not for them, because I wot well that my prayer will +not avail me." + +Then answered Siggeir + +"Surely thou art mad and witless, praying thus for more bale for +thy brothers than their present slaying; yet this will I grant +thee, for the better it likes me the more they must bear, and the +longer their pain is or ever death come to them." + +Now he let it be done even as she prayed, and a mighty beam was +brought and set on the feet of those ten brethren in a certain +place of the wild-wood, and there they sit day-long until night; +but at midnight, as they sat in the stocks, there came on them a +she-wolf from out the wood; old she was, and both great and evil +of aspect; and the first thing she did was to bite one of those +brethren till he died, and then she ate him up withal, and went +on her way. + +But the next morning Signy sent a man to the brethren, even one +whom she most trusted, to wot of the tidings; and when he came +back he told her that one of them was dead, and great and +grievous she deemed it, if they should all fare in like wise, and +yet naught might she avail them. + +Soon is the tale told thereof: nine nights together came the she- +wolf at midnight, and each night slew and ate up one of the +brethren, until all were dead, save Sigmund only; so now, before +the tenth night came, Signy sent that trusty man to Sigmund, her +brother, and gave honey into his hand, bidding him do it over +Sigmund's face, and set a little deal of it in his mouth; so he +went to Sigmund and did as he was bidden, and then came home +again; and so the next night came the she-wolf according to her +wont, and would slay him and eat him even as his brothers; but +now she sniffs the breeze from him, whereas he was anointed with +the honey, and licks his face all over with her tongue, and then +thrusts her tongue into the mouth of him. No fear he had +thereof, but caught the she-wolf's tongue betwixt his teeth, and +so hard she started back thereat, and pulled herself away so +mightily, setting her feet against the stock that all was riven +asunder; but he ever held so fast that the tongue came away by +the roots, and thereof she had her bane. + +But some men say that this same she-wolf was the mother of King +Siggeir, who had turned herself into this likeness by troll's +lore and witchcraft. + + + +CHAPTER VI. +Of how Signy sent the Children of her and Siggeir to Sigmund. + +Now whenas Sigmund is loosed and the stocks are broken, he dwells +in the woods and holds himself there; but Signy sends yet again +to wot of the tidings, whether Sigmund were alive or no; but when +those who were sent came to him, he told them all as it had +betid, and how things had gone betwixt him and the wolf; so they +went home and tell Signy the tidings; but she goes and finds her +brother, and they take counsel in such wise as to make a house +underground in the wild-wood; and so things go on a while, Signy +hiding him there, and sending him such things as he needed; but +King Siggeir deemed that all the Volsungs were dead. + +Now Siggeir had two sons by his wife, whereof it is told that +when the eldest was ten winters old, Signy sends him to Sigmund, +so that he might give him help, if he would in any wise strive to +avenge his father; so the youngling goes to the wood, and comes +late in evening-tide to Sigmund's earth-house; and Sigmund +welcomed him in seemly fashion, and said that he should make +ready their bread; "But I," said he, "will go seek firewood." + +Therewith he gives the meal-bag into his hands while he himself +went to fetch firing; but when he came back the youngling had +done naught at the bread-making. Then asks Sigmund if the bread +be ready -- + +Says the youngling, "I durst not set hand to the meal sack, +because somewhat quick lay in the meal." + +Now Sigmund deemed he wotted that the lad was of no such heart as +that he would be fain to have him for his fellow; and when he met +his sister, Sigmund said that he had come no nigher to the aid of +a man though the youngling were with him. + +Then said Signy, "Take him and kill him then; for why should such +an one live longer?" and even so he did. + +So this winter wears, and the next winter Signy sent her next son +to Sigmund; and there is no need to make a long tale thereof, for +in like wise went all things, and he slew the child by the +counsel of Signy. + + + +CHAPTER VII. +Of the Birth of Sinfjotli the Son of Sigmund. + +So on a tide it befell as Signy sat in her bower, that there came +to her a witch-wife exceeding cunning, and Signy talked with her +in such wise, "Fain am I," says she, "that we should change +semblances together." + +She says, "Even as thou wilt then." + +And so by her wiles she brought it about that they changed +semblances, and now the witch-wife sits in Signy's place +according to her rede, and goes to bed by the king that night, +and he knows not that he has other than Signy beside him. + +But the tale tells of Signy, that she fared to the earthhouse of +her brother, and prayed him give her harbouring for the night; +"For I have gone astray abroad in the woods, and know not whither +I am going." + +So he said she might abide, and that he would not refuse harbour +to one lone woman, deeming that she would scarce pay back his +good cheer by tale-bearing: so. she came into the house, and they +sat down to meat, and his eyes were often on her, and a goodly +and fair woman she seemed to him; but when they are full, then he +says to her, that he is right fain that they should have but one +bed that night; she nowise turned away therefrom, and so for +three nights together he laid her in bed by him. + +Thereafter she fared home, and found the witch-wife and bade her +change semblances again, and she did so. + +Now as time wears, Signy brings forth a man-child, who was named +Sinfjotli, and when he grew up he was both big and strong, and +fair of face, and much like unto the kin of the Volsungs, and he +was hardly yet ten winters old when she sent him to Sigmund's +earth-house; but this trial she had made of her other sons or +ever she had sent them to Sigmund, that she had sewed gloves on +to their hands through flesh and skin, and they had borne it ill +and cried out thereat; and this she now did to Sinfjotli, and he +changed countenance in nowise thereat. Then she flayed off the +kirtle so that the skin came off with the sleeves, and said that +this would be torment enough for him; but he said -- + +"Full little would Volsung have felt such a smart this." + +So the lad came to Sigmund, and Sigmund bade him knead their meal +up, while he goes to fetch firing; so he gave him the meal-sack, +and then went after the wood, and by then he came back had +Sinfjotli made an end of his baking. Then asked Sigmund if he +had found nothing in the meal. + +"I misdoubted me that there was something quick in the meal when +I first fell to kneading of it, but I have kneaded it all up +together, both the meal and that which was therein, whatsoever it +was." + +Then Sigmund laughed out, he said -- + +"Naught wilt thou eat of this bread to-night, for the most deadly +of worms (1) hast thou kneaded up therewith." + +Now Sigmund was so mighty a man that he might eat venom and have +no hurt therefrom; but Sinfjotli might abide whatso venom came on +the outside of him, but might neither eat nor drink thereof. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Serpents. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. +The Death of King Siggeir and of Stigny. + +The tale tells that Sigmund thought Sinfjotli over young to help +him to his revenge, and will first of all harden him with manly +deeds; so in summer-tide they fare wide through the woods and +slay men for their wealth; Sigmund deems him to take much after +the kin of the Volsungs, though he thinks that he is Siggeir's +son, and deems him to have the evil heart of his father, with the +might and daring of the Volsungs; withal he must needs think him +in no wise a kinsome man, for full oft would he bring Sigmund's +wrongs to his memory, and prick him on to slay King Siggeir. + +Now on a time as they fare abroad in the wood for the getting of +wealth, they find a certain house, and two men with great gold +rings asleep therein: now these twain were spell-bound skin- +changers, (1) and wolf-skins were hanging up over them in the +house; and every tenth day might they come out of those skins; +and they were kings' sons: so Sigmund and Sinfjofli do the wolf- +skins on them, and then might they nowise come out of them, +though forsooth the same nature went with them as heretofore; +they howled as wolves howl but both knew the meaning of that +howling; they lay out in the wild-wood, and each went his way; +and a word they made betwixt them, that they should risk the +onset of seven men, but no more, and that he who was first to be +set on should howl in wolfish wise: "Let us not depart from +this," says Sigmund, "for thou art young and over-bold, and men +will deem the quarry good, when they take thee." + +Now each goes his way, and when they were parted, Sigmund meets +certain men, and gives forth a wolf's howl; and when Sinfjotli +heard it, he went straightway thereto, and slew them all, and +once more they parted. But ere Sinfjotli has fared long through +the woods, eleven men meet him, and he wrought in such wise that +he slew them all, and was awearied therewith, and crawls under an +oak, and there takes his rest. Then came Sigmund thither, and +said -- + +"Why didst thou not call on me?" + +Sinfjotli said, "I was loth to call for thy help for the slaying +of eleven men." + +Then Sigmund rushed at him so hard that he staggered and fell, +and Sigmund bit him in the throat. Now that day they might not +come out of their wolf-skins: but Sigmund lays the other on his +back, and bears him home to the house, and cursed the wolf-gears +and gave them to the trolls. Now on a day he saw where two +weasels went and how that one bit the other in the throat, and +then ran straightway into the thicket, and took up a leaf and +laid in on the wound, and thereon his fellow sprang up quite and +clean whole; so Sigmund went out and saw a raven flying with a +blade of that same herb to him; so he took it and drew it over +Sinfjotli's hurt, and he straightway sprang up as whole as though +he had never been hurt. There after they went home to their +earth-house, and abode there till the time came for them to put +off the wolf-shapes; then they burnt them up with fire, and +prayed that no more hurt might come to any one from them; but in +that uncouth guise they wrought many famous deeds in the kingdom +and lordship of King Siggeir. + +Now when Sinfjotli was come to man's estate, Sigmund deemed he +had tried him fully, and or ever a long time has gone by he turns +his mind to the avenging of his father; if so it may be brought +about; so on s certain day the twain get them gone from their +earth-house, and come to the abode of King Siggeir late in the +evening, and go into the porch before the hall, wherein were tuns +of ale, and there they lie hid: now the queen is ware of them, +where they are, and is fain to meet them; and when they met they +took counsel and were of one mind that Volsung should be revenged +that same night. + +Now Signy and the king had two children of tender age, who played +with a golden toy on the floor, and bowled it along the pavement +of the hall, running along with it; but therewith a golden ring +from off it trundles away into the place where Sigmund and +Sinfjotli lay, and off runs the little one to search for the +same, and beholds withal where two men axe sitting, big and +grimly to look on, with overhanging helms and bright white +byrnies; (2) so he runs up the hall to his father, and tells him +of the sight he has seen, and thereat the king misdoubts of some +guile abiding him; but Signy heard their speech, and arose and +took both the children, and went out into the porch to them and +said -- + +"Lo ye! These younglings have bewrayed you; come now therefore +and slay them!" + +Sigmund says, "Never will I slay thy children for telling of +where I lay hid." + +But Sinfjotli made little enow of it, but drew his sword and slew +them both, and cast them into the hall at King 8iggeir's feet. + +Then up stood the king and cried on his men to take those who had +lain privily in the porch through the night. So they ran thither +and would lay hands on them, but they stood on their defence well +and manly, and long he remembered it who was the nighest to them; +but in the end they were borne down by many men and taken, and +bonds were set upon them, and they were cast into fetters wherein +they sit night long. + +Then the king ponders what longest and worst of deaths he shall +mete out to them; and when morning came he let make a great +barrow of stones and turf; and when it was done, let set a great +flat stone midmost inside thereof, so that one edge was aloft, +the other alow; and so great it was that it went from wall to +wall, so that none might pass it. + +Now he bids folk take Sigmund and Sinfjotli and set them in the +barrow, on either side of the stone, for the worse for them he +deemed it, that they might hear each the other's speech, and yet +that neither might pass one to the other. But now, while they +were covering in the barrow with the turf-slips, thither came +Signy, bearing straw with her, and cast it down to Sinfjotli, and +bade the thralls hide this thing from the king; they said yea +thereto, and therewithal was the barrow closed in. + +But when night fell, Sinfjotli said to Sigmund, "Belike we shall +scarce need meat for a while, for here has the queen cast swine's +flesh into the barrow, and wrapped it round about on the outer +side with straw." + +Therewith he handles the flesh and finds that therein was thrust +Sigmund's sword; and he knew it by the hilts as mirk as it might +be in the barrow, and tells Sigmund thereof, and of that were +they both fain enow. + +Now Sinfjotli drave the point of the sword up into the big stone, +and drew it hard along, and the sword bit on the stone. With +that Sigmund caught the sword by the point, and in this wise they +sawed the stone between them, and let not or all the sawing was +done that need be done, even as the song sings: + + "Sinfjotli sawed + And Sigmund sawed, + Atwain with main + The stone was done." + +Now are they both together loose in the barrow, and soon they cut +both through stone and through iron, and bring themselves out +thereof. Then they go home to the hall, whenas all men slept +there, and bear wood to the hall, and lay fire therein; and +withal the folk therein are waked by the smoke, and by the hall +burning over their heads. + +Then the king cries out, "Who kindled this fire, I burn withal?" + +"Here am I," says Sigmund, "with Sinfjotli, my sister's son; and +we are minded that thou shalt wot well that all the Volsungs are +not yet dead." + +Then he bade his sister come out, and take all good things at his +hands, and great honour, and fair atonement in that wise, for all +her griefs. + +But she answered, "Take heed now, and consider, if I have kept +King Siggeir in memory, and his slaying of Volsung the king! I +let slay both my children, whom I deemed worthless for the +revenging of our father, and I went into the wood to thee in a +witch-wife's shape; and now behold, Sinfjotli is the son of thee +and of me both! And therefore has he this so great hardihood +and fierceness, in that he is the son both of Volsung's son and +Volsung's daughter; and for this, and for naught else, have I so +wrought, that Siggeir might get his bane at last; and all these +things have I done that vengeance might fall on him, and that I +too might not live long; and merrily now will I die with King +Siggeir, though I was naught merry to wed him." + +Therewith she kissed Sigmund her brother, and Sinfjotli, and went +back again into the fire, and there she died with King Siggeir +and all his good men. + +But the two kinsmen gathered together folk and ships, and Sigmund +went back to his father's land, and drave away thence the king, +who had set himself down there in the room of king Volsung. + +So Sigmund became a mighty King and far-famed, wise and high- +minded: he had to wife one named Borghild, and two sons they had +between them, one named Helgi and the other Hamund; and when +Helgi was born, Norns came to him, (3) and spake over him, and +said that he should be in time to come the most renowned of all +kings. Even therewith was Sigmund come home from the wars, and +so therewith he gives him the name of Helgi, and these matters as +tokens thereof, Land of Rings, Sun-litten Hill and Sharp-shearing +Sword, and withal prayed that he might grow of great fame, and +like unto the kin of the Volsungs. + +And so it was that he grew up high-minded, and well beloved, and +above all other men in all prowess; and the story tells that he +went to the wars when he was fifteen winters old. Helgi was lord +and ruler over the army, but Sinfjotli was gotten to be his +fellow herein; the twain bare sway thereover. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) "Skin-changers" were universally believed in once, in + Iceland no less than elsewhere, as see Ari in several places + of his history, especially the episode of Dufthach and + Storwolf o' Whale. Men possessing the power of becoming + wolves at intervals, in the present case compelled so to + become, wer-wolves or "loupsgarou", find large place in + medieval story, but were equally well-known in classic + times. Belief in them still lingers in parts of Europe + where wolves are to be found. Herodotus tells of the Neuri, + who assumed once a year the shape of wolves; Pliny says that + one of the family of Antaeus, chosen by lot annually, became + a wolf, and so remained for nine years; Giraldus Cambrensis + will have it that Irishmen may become wolves; and Nennius + asserts point-blank that "the descendants of wolves are + still in Ossory;" they retransform themselves into wolves + when they bite. Apuleius, Petronius, and Lucian have + similar stories. The Emperor Sigismund convoked a council + of theologians in the fifteenth century who decided that + wer-wolves did exist. +(2) Byrny (A.S. "byrne"), corslet, cuirass. +(3) "Norns came to him." Nornir are the fates of the northern + mythology. They are three -- "Urd", the past; "Verdandi", + the present; and "Skuld", the future. They sit beside the + fountain of Urd ("Urdarbrienur"), which is below one of the + roots of "Yggdrasil", the world-tree, which tree their + office it is to nourish by sprinkling it with the water of + the fountain. + + + +CHAPTER IX. +How Helgi, the son of Sigmund, won King Hodbrod and his Realm, +and wedded Sigurn. + +Now the tale tells that Helgi in his warring met a king hight +Hunding, a mighty king, and lord of many men and many lands; they +fell to battle together, and Helgi went forth mightily, and such +was the end of that fight that Helgi had the victory, but King +Hunding fell and many of his men with him; but Helgi is deemed to +have grown greatly in fame because he had slain so mighty a king. + +Then the sons of Hunding draw together a great army to avenge +their father. Hard was the fight betwixt them; but Helgi goes +through the folk of those brothers unto their banner, and there +slays these sons of Hunding, Alf and Eyolf, Herward and Hagbard, +and wins there a great victory. + +Now as Helgi fared from the fight he met a many women right fair +and worthy to look on, who rode in exceeding noble array; but one +far excelled them all; then Helgi asked them the name of that +their lady and queen, and she named herself Sigrun, and said she +was daughter of King Hogni. + +Then said Helgi, "Fare home with us: good welcome shall ye have!" + +Then said the king's daughter, "Other work lies before us than to +drink with thee." + +"Yea, and what work, king's daughter?" said Helgi. + +She answers, "King Hogni has promised me to Hodbrod, the son of +King Granmar, but I have vowed a vow that I will have him to my +husband no more than if he were a crow's son and not a king's; +and yet will the thing come to pass, but and if thou standest in +the way thereof and goest against him with an army, and takest me +away withal; for verily with no king would I rather bide on +bolster than with thee." + +"Be of good cheer, king's daughter," says he, "for certes he and +I shall try the matter, or ever thou be given to him; yea, we +shall behold which may prevail against the other; and hereto I +pledge my life." + +Thereafter, Helgi sent men with money in their hand to summon his +folk to him, and all his power is called together to Red-Berg: +and there Helgi abode till such time as a great company came to +him from Hedinsey; and therewithal came mighty power from Norvi +Sound aboard great and fair ships. Then King Helgi called to him +the captain of his ships, who was hight Leif, and asked him if he +had told over the tale of his army. + +"A thing not easy to tell, lord," says he, "on the ships that +came out of Norvi Sound are twelve thousand men, and otherwhere +are half as many again." + +Then bade King Helgi turn into the firth, called Varin's firth, +and they did so: but now there fell on them so fierce a storm and +so huge a sea, that the beat of the waves on board and bow was to +hearken to like as the clashing together of high hills broken. + +But Helgi bade men fear naught, nor take in any sail, but rather +hoist every rag higher than heretofore; but little did they miss +of foundering or ever they made land; then came Sigrun, daughter +of King Hogni, down on to the beach with a great army, and turned +them away thence to a good haven called Gnipalund; but the +landsmen see what has befallen and come down to the sea-shore. +The brother of King Hodbrod, lord of a land called Swarin's +Cairn, cried out to them, and asked them who was captain over +that mighty army. Then up stands Sinfjotli, with a helm on his +head, bright shining as glass, and a byrny as white as snow; a +spear in his hand, and thereon a banner of renown, and a gold- +rimmed shield hanging before him; and well he knew with what +words to speak to kings -- + +"Go thou and say, when thou hast made an end of feeding thy swine +and thy dogs, and when thou beholdest thy wife again, that here +are come the Volsungs, and in this company may King Helgi be +found, if Hodbrod be fain of finding him, for his game and his +joy it is to fight and win fame, while thou art kissing the +handmaids by the fire-side." + +Then answered Granmar, "In nowise knowest thou how to speak +seemly things, and to tell of matters remembered from of old, +whereas thou layest lies on chiefs and lords; most like it is +that thou must have long been nourished with wolf-meat abroad in +the wild-woods, and has slain thy brethren; and a marvel it is to +behold that thou darest to join thyself to the company of good +men and true, thou, who hast sucked the blood of many a cold +corpse." + +Sinfjotli answered, "Dim belike is grown thy memory now, of how +thou wert a witch-wife on Varinsey, and wouldst fain have a man +to thee, and chose me to that same office of all the world; and +how thereafter thou wert a Valkyria (1) in Asgarth, and it well- +nigh came to this, that for thy sweet sake should all men fight; +and nine wolf whelps I begat on thy body in Lowness, and was the +father to them all." + +Granmar answers, "Great skill of lying hast thou; yet belike the +father of naught at all mayst thou be, since thou wert gelded by +the giant's daughters of Thrasness; and lo thou art the stepson +of King Siggeir, and were wont to lie abroad in wilds and woods +with the kin of wolves; and unlucky was the hand wherewith thou +slewest thy brethren making for thyself an exceeding evil name." + +Said Sinfjotli, "Mindest thou not then, when thou were stallion +Grani's mare, and how I rode thee an amble on Bravoli, and that +afterwards thou wert giant Golnir's goat herd?" + +Granmar says, "Rather would I feed fowls with the flesh of thee +than wrangle any longer with thee." + +Then spake King Helgi, "Better were it for ye, and a more manly +deed, to fight, rather than to speak such things as it is a shame +even to hearken to; Granmar's sons are no friends of me and of +mine, yet are they hardy men none the less." + +So Granmar rode away to meet King Hodbrod, at a stead called +Sunfells, and the horses of the twain were named Sveipud and +Sveggjud. The brothers met in the castle-porch, and Granmar told +Hodbrod of the war-news. King Hodbrod was clad in a byrny, and +had his helm on his head; he asked -- + +"What men are anigh, why look ye so wrathful?" + +Granmar says, "Here are come the Volsungs, and twelve thousand +men of them are afloat off the coast, and seven thousand are at +the island called Sok, but at the stead called Grindur is the +greatest company of all, and now I deem withal that Helgi and his +fellowship have good will to give battle." + +Then said the king, "Let us send a message through all our realm, +and go against them, neither let any who is fain of fight sit +idle at home; let us send word to the sons of Ring, and to King +Hogni, and to Alf the Old, for they are mighty warriors." + +So the hosts met at Wolfstone, and fierce fight befell there; +Helgi rushed forth through the host of his foes, and many a man +fell there; at last folk saw a great company of shield-maidens, +like burning flames to look on, and there was come Sigrun, the +king's daughter. Then King Helgi fell on King Hodbrod, and smote +him, and slew him even under his very banner; and Sigrun cried +out -- + +"Have thou thanks for thy so manly deed! Now shall we share the +land between us, and a day of great good hap this is to me, and +for this deed shalt thou get honour and renown, in that thou hast +felled to earth so mighty a king." + +So Helgi took to him that realm and dwelt there long, when he had +wedded Sigrun, and became a king of great honour and renown, +though he has naught more to do with this story. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Valkyrja, "Chooser of the elected." The women were so + called whom Odin sent to choose those for death in battle + who were to join the "Einherjar" in the hall of the elected, + "Val-holl." + + + +CHAPTER X. +The ending of Sinfjatli, Sigmund's Son. + +Now the Volsungs fare back home, and have gained great renown by +these deeds. But Sinfjotli betook himself to warfare anew; and +therewith he had sight of an exceeding fair woman, and yearned +above all things for her, but that same woman was wooed also of +the brother of Borghild, the king's wife: and this matter they +fought out betwixt them, and Sinfjotli slew that king; and +thereafter he harried far and wide, and had many a battle and +even gained the day; and he became hereby honoured and renowned +above all men; but in autumn tide he came home with many ships +and abundant wealth. + +Then he told his tidings to the king his father, and he again to +the queen, and she for her part bids him get him gone from the +realm, and made as if she would in nowise see him. But Sigmund +said he would not drive him away, and offered her atonement of +gold and great wealth for her brother's life, albeit he said he +had never erst given weregild (1) to any for the slaying of a +man, but no fame it was to uphold wrong against a woman. + +So seeing she might not get her own way herein, she said, "Have +thy will in this matter, O my lord, for it is seemly so to be." + +And now she holds the funeral feast for her brother by the aid +and counsel of the king, and makes ready all things thereœor in +the best of wise, and bade thither many great men. + +At that feast, Borghild the queen bare the drink to folk, and she +came over against Sinfjofli with a great horn, and said -- + +"Fall to now and drink, fair stepson!" + +Then he took the horn to him, and looked therein, and said -- + +"Nay, for the drink is charmed drink" + +Then said Sigmund, "Give it unto me then;" and therewith he took +the horn and drank it off. + +But the queen said to Sinfjotli, "Why must other men needs drink +thine ale for thee?" And she came again the second time with the +horn, and said, "Come now and drink!" and goaded him with many +words. + +And he took the horn, and said -- + +"Guile is in the drink." + +And thereon, Sigmund cried out -- + +"Give it then unto me!" + +Again, the third time, she came to him, and bade him drink off +his drink, if he had the heart of a Volsung; then he laid hand on +the horn, but said -- + +"Venom is therein." + +"Nay, let the lip strain it out then, O son," quoth Sigmund; and +by then was he exceeding drunk with drink, and therefore spake he +in that wise. + +So Sinfjotli drank, and straightway fell down dead to the ground. + +Sigmund rose up, and sorrowed nigh to death over him; then he +took the corpse in his arms and fared away to the wood, and went +till he came to a certain firth; and then he saw a man in a +little boat; and that man asked if he would be wafted by him over +the firth, and he said yes thereto; but so little was the boat, +that they might not all go in it at once, so the corpse was first +laid therein, while Sigmund went by the firth-side. But +therewith the boat and the man therein vanished away from before +Sigmund's eyes. (2) + +So thereafter Sigmund turned back home, and drave away the queen, +and a little after she died. But Sigmund the king yet ruled his +realm, and is deemed ever the greatest champion and king of the +old law. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Weregild, fine for man-slaying ("wer", man, and "gild", a + payment). +(2) The man in the boat is Odin, doubtless. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +Of King Sigmund's last Battle, and of how he must yield up his +Sword again. + +There was a king called Eylimi, mighty and of great fame, and his +daughter was called Hjordis, the fairest and wisest of womankind; +and Sigmund hears it told of her that she was meet to be his +wife, yea if none else were. So he goes to the house of King +Eylimi, who would make a great feast for him, if so be he comes +not thither in the guise of a foe. So messages were sent from +one to the other that this present journey was a peaceful one, +and not for war; so the feast was held in the best of wise and +with many a man thereat; fairs were in every place established +for King Sigmund, and all things else were done to the aid and +comfort of his journey: so he came to the feast, and both kings +hold their state in one hall; thither also was come King Lyngi, +son of King Hunding, and he also is a-wooing the daughter of King +Eylimi. + +Now the king deemed he knew that the twain had come thither but +for one errand, and thought withal that war and trouble might be +looked for from the hands of him who brought not his end about; +so he spake to his daughter, and said -- + +"Thou art a wise woman, and I have spoken it, that thou alone +shalt choose a husband for thyself; choose therefore between +these two kings, and my rede shall be even as thine." + +"A hard and troublous matter," says she; "yet will I choose him +who is of greatest fame, King Sigmund to wife albeit he is well +stricken in years." + +So to him was she betrothed, and King Lyngi gat him gone. Then +was Sigmund wedded to Hjordis, and now each day was the feast +better and more glorious than on the day before it. But +thereafter Sigmund went back home to Hunland, and King Eylimi, +his father-in-law, with him, and King Sigmund betakes himself to +the due ruling of his realm. + +But King Lyngi and his brethren gather an army together to fall +on Sigmund, for as in all matters they were wont to have the +worser lot, so did this bite the sorest of all; and they would +fain prevail over the might and pride of the Volsungs. So they +came to Hunland, and sent King Sigmund word how that they would +not steal upon him and that they deemed he would scarce slink +away from them. So Sigmund said he would come and meet them in +battle, and drew his power together; but Hjordis was borne into +the wood with a certain bondmaid, and mighty wealth went with +them; and there she abode the while they fought. + +Now the vikings rushed from their ships in numbers not to be +borne up against, but Sigmund the King, and Eylimi set up their +banners, and the horns blew up to battle; but King Sigmund let +blow the horn his father erst had had, and cheered on his men to +the fight, but his army was far the fewest. + +Now was that battle fierce and fell, and though Sigmund were old, +yet most hardily he fought, and was ever the foremost of his men; +no shield or byrny might hold against him, and he went ever +through the ranks of his foemen on that day, and no man might see +how things would fare between them; many an arrow and many a +spear was aloft in air that day, and so his spae-wrights wrought +for him that he got no wound, and none can tell over the tale of +those who fell before him, and both his arms were red with blood, +even to the shoulders. + +But now whenas the battle had dured a while, there came a man +into the fight clad in a blue cloak, and with a slouched hat on +his head, one-eyed he was, (1) and bare a bill in his hand; and +he came against Sigmund the King, and have up his bill against +him, and as Sigmund smote fiercely with the sword it fell upon +the bill and burst asunder in the midst: thenceforth the +slaughter and dismay turned to his side, for the good-hap of King +Sigmund had departed from him, and his men fell fast about him; +naught did the king spare himself, but the rather cheered on his +men; but even as the saw says, "No might 'gainst many", so was it +now proven; and in this fight fell Sigmund the King, and King +Eylimi, his father-in-law, in the fore-front of their battle, and +therewith the more part of their folk. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Odin coming to change the ownership of the sword he had + given Sigmund. See Chapter 3. + + + +CHAPTER XII. +Of the Shards of the Sword Gram, and how Hjordis went to King +Alf. + +Now King Lyngi made for the king's abode, and was minded to take +the king's daughter there, but failed herein, for there he found +neither wife nor wealth; so he fared through all the realm, and +gave his men rule thereover, and now deemed that he had slain all +the kin of the Volsungs, and that he need dread them no more from +henceforth. + +Now Hjordis went amidst the slain that night of the battle, and +came whereas lay King Sigmund, and asked if he might be healed; +but he answered -- + +"Many a man lives after hope has grown little; but my good-hap +has departed from me, nor will I suffer myself to be healed, nor +wills Odin that I should ever draw sword again, since this my +sword and his is broken; lo now, I have waged war while it was +his will." + +"Naught ill would I deem matters," said she, "if thou mightest be +healed and avenge my father." + +The king said, "That is fated for another man; behold now, thou +art great with a man-child; nourish him well; and with good heed, +and the child shall be the noblest and most famed of all our kin: +and keep well withal the shards of the sword: thereof shall a +goodly sword be made, and it shall be called Gram, and our son +shall bear it, and shall work many a great work therewith, even +such as eld shall never minish; for his name shall abide and +flourish as long as the world shall endure: and let this be enow +for thee. But now I grow weary with my wounds, and I will go see +our kin that have gone before me." + +So Hjordis sat over him till he died at the day-dawning; and then +she looked, and behold, there came many ships sailing to the +land: then she spake to the handmaid -- + +"Let us now change raiment, and be thou called by my name, and +say that thou art the king's daughter." + +And thus they did; but now the vikings behold the great slaughter +of men there, and see where two women fare away thence into the +wood; and they deem that some great tidings must have befallen, +and they leaped ashore from out their ships. Now the captain of +these folks was Alf, son of Hjalprek, king of Denmark, who was +sailing with his power along the land. So they came into the +field among the slain, and saw how many men lay dead there; then +the king bade go seek for the women and bring them thither, and +they did so. He asked them what women they were; and, little as +the thing seems like to be, the bondmaid answered for the twain, +telling of the fall of King Sigmund and King Eylimi, and many +another great man, and who they were withal who had wrought the +deed. Then the king asks if they wotted where the wealth of the +king was bestowed; and then says the bondmaid -- + +"It may well be deemed that we know full surely thereof." + +And therewith she guides them to the place where the treasure +lay: and there they found exceeding great wealth; so that men +deem they have never seen so many things of price heaped up +together in one place. All this they bore to the ships of King +Alf, and Hjordis and bondmaid went them. Therewith these sail +away to their own realm, and talk how that surely on that field +had fallen the most renowned of kings. + +So the king sits by the tiller, but the women abide in the +forecastle; but talk he had with the women and held their +counsels of much account. + +In such wise the king came home to his realm with great wealth, +and he himself was a man exceeding goodly to look on. But when +he had been but a little while at home, the queen, his mother, +asked him why the fairest of the two women had the fewer rings +and the less worthy attire. + +"I deem," she said, "that she whom ye have held of least account +is the noblest of the twain." + +He answered: "I too have misdoubted me, that she is little like a +bondwoman, and when we first met, in seemly wise she greeted +noble men. Lo now, we will make trial of the thing." + +So on a time as men sat at the drink, the king sat down to talk +with the women, and said: -- + +"In what wise do ye note the wearing of the hours, whenas night +grows old, if ye may not see the lights of heaven?" + +Then says the bondwoman, "This sign have I, that whenas in my +youth I was wont to drink much in the dawn, so now when I no +longer use that manner, I am yet wont to wake up at that very +same tide, and by that token do I know thereof." + +Then the king laughed and said, "Ill manners for a king's +daughter!" And therewith he turned to Hjordis, and asked her +even the same question; but she answered -- + +"My father erst gave me a little gold ring of such nature, that +it groweth cold on my finger in the day-dawning; and that is the +sign that I have to know thereof." + +The king answered: "Enow of gold there, where a very bondmaid +bore it! But come now, thou hast been long enow hid from me; yet +if thou hadst told me all from the beginning, I would have done +to thee as though we had both been one king's children: but +better than thy deeds will I deal with thee, for thou shalt be my +wife, and due jointure will I pay thee whenas thou hast borne me +a child." + +She spake therewith and told out the whole truth about herself: +so there was she held in great honour, and deemed the worthiest +of women. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. +Of the Birth and Waxing of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + +The tale tells that Hjordis brought forth a man-child, who was +straightly borne before King Hjalprek, and then was the king glad +thereof, when he saw the keen eyes in the head of him, and he +said that few men would be equal to him or like unto him in any +wise. So he was sprinkled with water, and had to name Sigurd, of +whom all men speak with one speech and say that none was ever his +like for growth and goodliness. He was brought up in the house +of King Hjalprek in great love and honour; and so it is, that +whenso all the noblest men and greatest kings are named in the +olden tales, Sigurd is ever put before them all for might and +prowess, for high mind and stout heart; wherewith he was far more +abundantly gifted than any man of the northern parts of the wide +world. + +So Sigurd waxed in King Hjalprek's house, and there was no child +but loved him; through him was Hjordis betrothed to King Alf, and +jointure meted to her. + +Now Sigurd's foster-father was hight Regin, the son of Hreidmar; +he taught him all manner of arts, the chess play, and the lore of +runes, and the talking of many tongues, even as the wont was with +kings' sons in those days. But on a day when they were together, +Regin asked Sigurd, if he knew how much wealth his father had +owned, and who had the ward thereof; Sigurd answered, and said +that the kings kept the ward thereof. + +Said Regin, "Dost thou trust them all utterly?" + +Sigurd said, "It is seemly that they keep it till I may do +somewhat therewith, for better they wot how to guard it than I +do." + +Another time came Regin to talk to Sigurd, and said -- + +"A marvellous thing truly that thou must needs be a horse-boy to +the kings, and go about like a running knave." + +"Nay," said Sigurd, "it is not so, for in all things I have my +will, and whatso thing I desire is granted me with good will." + +"Well, then," said Regin, "ask for a horse of them." + +"Yea," quoth Sigurd, "and that shall I have, whenso I have need +thereof." + +Thereafter Sigurd went to the king, and the king said -- + +"What wilt thou have of us?" + +Then said Sigurd, "I would even a horse of thee for my disport." + +Then said the king, "Choose for thyself a horse, and whatso thing +else thou desirest among my matters." + +So the next day went Sigurd to the wood, and met on the way an +old man, long-bearded, that he knew not, who asked him whither +away. + +Sigurd said, "I am minded to choose me a horse; come thou, and +counsel me thereon." + +"Well then," said he, "go we and drive them to the river which is +called Busil-tarn." + +They did so, and drave the horses down into the deeps of the +river, and all swam back to land but one horse; and that horse +Sigurd chose for himself; grey he was of hue, and young of years, +great of growth, and fair to look on, nor had any man yet crossed +his back. + +Then spake the grey-beard, "From Sleipnir's kin is this horse +come, and he must be nourished heedfully, for it will be the best +of all horses;" and therewithal he vanished away. + +So Sigurd called the horse Grani, the best of all the horses of +the world; nor was the man he met other than Odin himself. + +Now yet again spake Regin to Sigurd, and said -- + +"Not enough is thy wealth, and I grieve right sore, that thou +must needs run here and there like s churl's son; but I can tell +thee where there is much wealth for the winning, and great name +and honour to be won in getting of it." + +Sigurd asked where that might be, and who had watch and ward over +it. + +Regin answered, "Fafnir is his name, and but a little way hence +he lies, on the waste of Gnita-heath; and when thou comest there +thou mayst well say that thou hast never seen more gold heaped +together in one place, and that none might desire more treasure, +though he were the most ancient and famed of all kings." + +"Young am I," says Sigurd, "yet know I the fashion of this worm, +and how that none durst go against him, so huge and evil is he." + +Regin said, "Nay it is not so, the fashion and the growth of him +is even as of other lingworms, (1) and an over great tale men +make of it; and even so would thy forefathers have deemed; but +thou, though thou be of the kin of the Volsungs, shalt scarce +have the heart and mind of those, who are told of as the first in +all deeds of fame." + +Sigurd said, "Yea, belike I have little of their hardihood and +prowess, but thou hast naught to do, to lay a coward's name upon +me, when I am scarce out of my childish years. Why dost thou egg +me on hereto so busily?" + +Regin said, "Therein lies a tale which I must needs tell thee." + +"Let me hear the same," said Sigurd. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Lingworm -- longworm, dragon. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. +Regin's tale of his Brothers, and of the Gold called Andvari's +Hoard. + +"The tale begins," said Regin. "Hreidmar was my father's name, a +mighty man and z wealthy: and his first son was named Fafnir, his +second Otter, and I was the third, and the least of them all both +for prowess and good conditions, but I was cunning to work in +iron, and silver, and gold, whereof I could make matters that +availed somewhat. Other skill my brother Otter followed, and had +another nature withal, for he was a great fisher, and above other +men herein; in that he had the likeness of an otter by day, and +dwelt ever in the river, and bare fish to bank in his mouth, and +his prey would he ever bring to our father, and that availed him +much: for the most part he kept him in his otter-gear, and then +he would come home, and eat alone, and slumbering, for on the dry +land he might see naught. But Fafnir was by far the greatest and +grimmest, and would have all things about called his. + +"Now," says Regin, "there was a dwarf called Andvari, who ever +abode in that force, (1) which was called Andvari's force, in the +likeness of a pike, and got meat for himself, for many fish there +were in the force; now Otter, my brother, was ever wont to enter +into the force, and bring fish aland, and lay them one by one on +the bank. And so it befell that Odin, Loki, and Hoenir, as they +went their ways, came to Andvari's force, and Otter had taken a +salmon, and ate it slumbering upon the river bank; then Loki took +a stone and cast it at Otter, so that he gat his death thereby; +the gods were well content with their prey, and fell to flaying +off the otter's skin; and in the evening they came to Hreidmar's +house, and showed him what they had taken: thereon he laid hands +on them, and doomed them to such ransom, as that they should fill +the otter skin with gold, and cover it over without with red +gold; so they sent Loki to gather gold together for them; he came +to Ran, (2) and got her net, and went therewith to Andvari's +force, and cast the net before the pike, and the pike ran into +the net and was taken. Then said Loki -- + + "`What fish of all fishes, + Swims strong in the flood, + But hath learnt little wit to beware? + Thine head must thou buy, + From abiding in hell, + And find me the wan waters flame.' + +"He answered -- + + "`Andvari folk call me, + Call Oinn my father, + Over many a force have I fared; + For a Norn of ill-luck, + This life on me lay + Through wet ways ever to wade.' + +"So Loki beheld the gold of Andvari, and when he had given up the +gold, he had but one ring left, and that also Loki took from him; +then the dwarf went into a hollow of the rocks, and cried out, +that that gold-ring, yea and all the gold withal, should be the +bane of every man who should own it thereafter. + +"Now the gods rode with the treasure to Hreidmar, and fulfilled +the otter-skin, and set it on its feet, and they must cover it +over utterly with gold: but when this was done then Hreidmar came +forth, and beheld yet one of the muzzle hairs, and bade them +cover that withal; then Odin drew the ring, Andvari's loom, from +his hand, and covered up the hair therewith; then sang Loki -- + + "`Gold enow, gold enow, + A great weregild, thou hast, + That my head in good hap I may hold; + But thou and thy son + Are naught fated to thrive, + The bane shall it be of you both.' + +"Thereafter," says Regin, "Fafnir slew his father and murdered +him, nor got I aught of the treasure, and so evil he grew, that +he fell to lying abroad, and begrudged any share in the wealth to +any man, and so became the worst of all worms, and ever now lies +brooding upon that treasure: but for me, I went to the king and +became his master-smith; and thus is the tale told of how I lost +the heritage of my father, and the weregild for my brother." + +So spake Regin; but since that time gold is called Ottergild, and +for no other cause than this. + +But Sigurd answered, "Much hast thou lost, and exceeding evil +have thy kinsmen been! But now, make a sword by thy craft, such +a sword as that none can be made like unto it; so that I may do +great deeds therewith, if my heart avail thereto, and thou +wouldst have me slay this mighty dragon." + +Regin says, "Trust me well herein; and with that same sword shalt +thou slay Fafnir." + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Waterfall (Ice. "foss", "fors"). +(2) Ran is the goddess of the sea, wife of Aegir. The otter was + held sacred by Norsefolk and figures in the myth and legend + of most races besides; to this day its killing is held a + great crime by the Parsees (Haug. "Religion of the Parsees", + page 212). Compare penalty above with that for killing the + Welsh king's cat ("Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales". + Ed., Aneurin Owen. Longman, London, 1841, 2 vols. 8vo). + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Of the Welding together of the Shards of the Sward Gram. + +So Regin makes a sword, and gives it into Sigurd's hands. He +took the sword, and said -- + +"Behold thy smithying, Regin!" and therewith smote it into the +anvil, and the sword brake; so he cast down the brand, and bade +him forge a better. + +Then Regin forged another sword, and brought it to Sigurd, who +looked thereon. + +Then said Regin, "Belike thou art well content therewith, hard +master though thou be in smithying." + +So Sigurd proved the sword, and brake it even as the first; then +he said to Regin -- + +"Ah, art thou, mayhappen, a traitor and a liar like to those +former kin of thine?" + +Therewith he went to his mother, and she welcomed him in seemly +wise, and they talked and drank together. + +Then spake Sigurd, "Have I heard aright, that King Sigmund gave +thee the good sword Gram in two pieces?" + +"True enough," she said. + +So Sigurd said, "Deliver them into my hands, for I would have +them." + +She said he looked like to win great fame, and gave him the +sword. Therewith went Sigurd to Regin, and bade him make a good +sword thereof as he best might; Regin grew wroth thereat, but +went into the smithy with the pieces of the sword, thinking well +meanwhile that Sigurd pushed his head far enow into the matter of +smithying. So he made a sword, and as he bore it forth from the +forge, it seemed to the smiths as though fire burned along the +edges thereof. Now he bade Sigurd take the sword, and said he +knew not how to make a sword if this one failed. Then Sigurd +smote it into the anvil, and cleft it down to the stock thereof, +and neither burst the sword nor brake it. Then he praised the +sword much, and thereafter went to the river with a lock of wool, +and threw it up against the stream, and it fell asunder when it +met the sword. Then was Sigurd glad, and went home. + +But Regin said, "Now whereas I have made the sword for thee, +belike thou wilt hold to thy troth given, and wilt go meet +Fafnir?" + +"Surely will I hold thereto," said Sigurd, "yet first must I +avenge my father." + +Now Sigurd the older he grew, the more he grew in the love of all +men, so that every child loved him well. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. +The prophecy of Grifir. + +There was a man hight Grifir,(1) who was Sigurd's mother's +brother, and a little after the forging of the sword Sigurd went +to Grifir, because he was a man who knew things to come, and what +was fated to men: of him Sigurd asked diligently how his life +should go; but Grifir was long or he spake, yet at the last, by +reason of Sigurd's exceeding great prayers, he told him all his +life and the fate thereof, even as afterwards came to pass. So +when Grifir had told him all even as he would, he went back home; +and a little after he and Regin met. + +Then said Regin, "Go thou and slay Fafnir, even as thou hast +given thy word." + +Sigurd said, "That work shall be wrought; but another is first to +be done, the avenging of Sigmund the king and the other of my +kinsmen who fell in that their last fight." + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Called "Gripir" in the Edda. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. +Of Sigurd's Avenging of Sigmund his Father. + +Now Sigurd went to the kings, and spake thus -- + +"Here have I abode a space with you, and I owe you thanks and +reward, for great love and many gifts and all due honour; but now +will I away from the land and go meet the sons of Hunding, and do +them to wit that the Volsungs are not all dead; and your might +would I have to strengthen me therein." + +So the kings said that they would give him all things soever that +he desired, and therewith was a great army got ready, and all +things wrought in the most heedful wise, ships and all war-gear, +so that his journey might be of the stateliest: but Sigurd +himself steered the dragon-keel which was the greatest and +noblest; richly wrought were their sails, and glorious to look +on. + +So they sail and have wind at will; but when a few days were +overpast, there arose a great storm on the sea, and the waves +were to behold even as the foam of men's blood; but Sigurd bade +take in no sail, howsoever they might be riven, but rather to lay +on higher than heretofore. But as they sailed past the rocks of +a ness, a certain man hailed the ships, and asked who was captain +over that navy; then was it told him that the chief and lord was +Sigurd, the son of Sigmund, the most famed of all the young men +who now are. + +Then said the man, "Naught but one thing, certes do all say of +him, that none among the sons of kings may be likened unto him; +now fain were I that ye would shorten sail on some of the ships, +and take me aboard." + +Then they asked him of his name, and he sang -- + + "Hnikar I hight, + When I gladdened Huginn, + And went to battle, + Bright son of Volsung; + Now may ye call + The carl on the cliff top, + Feng or Fjolnir: + Fain would I with you." + +They made for land therewith, and took that man aboard. + +Then quoth Sigurd,(1) as the song says -- + + "Tell me this, O Hnikar, + Since full well thou knowest + Fate of Gods, good and ill of mankind, + What best our hap foresheweth, + When amid the battle + About us sweeps the sword edge." + +Quoth Hnikar -- + + "Good are many tokens + If thereof men wotted + When the swords are sweeping: + Fair fellow deem I + The dark-winged raven, + In war, to weapon-wielder. + + "The second good thing: + When abroad thou goest + For the long road well arrayed, + Good if thou seest + Two men standing, + Fain of fame within the forecourt. + + "A third thing: + Good hearing, + The wolf a howling + Abroad under ash boughs; + Good hap shalt thou have + Dealing with helm-staves, + If thou seest these fare before thee. + + "No man in fight + His face shall turn + Against the moon's sister + Low, late-shining, + For he winneth battle + Who best beholdeth + Through the midmost sword-play, + And the sloping ranks best shapeth. + + "Great is the trouble + Of foot ill-tripping, + When arrayed for fight thou farest, + For on both sides about + Are the Disir (2) by thee, + Guileful, wishful of thy wounding. + + "Fair-combed, well washen + Let each warrior be, + Nor lack meat in the morning, + For who can rule + The eve's returning, + And base to fall before fate grovelling." + +Then the storm abated, and on they fared till they came aland in +the realm of Hunding's sons, and then Fjolnir vanished away. + +Then they let loose fire and sword, and slew men and burnt their +abodes, and did waste all before them: a great company of folk +fled before the face of them to Lyngi the King, and tell him that +men of war are in the land, and are faring with such rage and +fury that the like has never been heard of; and that the sons of +King Hunding had no great forecast in that they said they would +never fear the Volsungs more, for here was come Sigurd, the son +of Sigmund, as captain over this army. + +So King Lyngi let send the war-message all throughout his realm, +and has no will to flee, but summons to him all such as would +give him aid. So he came against Sigurd with a great army, he +and his brothers with him, and an exceeding fierce fight befell; +many a spear and many an arrow might men see there raised aloft, +axes hard driven, shields cleft and byrnies torn, helmets were +shivered, skulls split atwain, and many a man felled to the cold +earth. + +And now when the fight has long dured in such wise, Sigurd goes +forth before the banners, and has the good sword Gram in his +hand, and smites down both men and horses, and goes through the +thickest of the throng with both arms red with blood to the +shoulder; and folk shrank aback before him wheresoever he went, +nor would either helm or byrny hold before him, and no man deemed +he had ever seen his like. So a long while the battle lasted, +and many a man was slain, and furious was the onset; till at last +it befell, even as seldom comes to hand, when a land army falls +on, that, do whatso they might, naught was brought about; but so +many men fell of the sons of Hunding that the tale of them may +not be told; and now whenas Sigurd was among the foremost, came +the sons of Hunding against him, and Sigurd smote therewith at +Lyngi the king, and clave him down, both helm and head, and mail- +clad body, and thereafter he smote Hjorward his brother atwain, +and then slew all the other sons of Hunding who were yet alive, +and the more part of their folk withal. + +Now home goes Sigurd with fair victory won, and plenteous wealth +and great honour, which he had gotten to him in this journey, and +feasts were made for him against he came back to the realm. + +But when Sigurd had been at home but a little, came Regin to talk +with him, and said -- + +"Belike thou wilt now have good will to bow down Fafnir's crest +according to thy word plighted, since thou hast thus revenged thy +father and the others of thy kin." + +Sigurd answered, "That will we hold to, even as we have promised, +nor did it ever fall from our memory." + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) This and verses following were inserted from the "Reginsmal" + by the translators. +(2) "Disir", sing. "Dis". These are the guardian beings who + follow a man from his birth to his death. The word + originally means sister, and is used throughout the Eddaic + poems as a dignified synonym for woman, lady. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. +Of the Slaying of the Worm Fafnir. + +Now Sigurd and Regin ride up the heath along that same way +wherein Fafnir was wont to creep when he fared to the water; and +folk say that thirty fathoms was the height of that cliff along +which he lay when he drank of the water below. Then Sigurd spake +-- + +"How sayedst thou, Regin, that this drake (1) was no greater than +other lingworms; methinks the track of him is marvellous great?" + +Then said Regin, "Make thee a hole, and sit down therein, and +whenas the worm comes to the water, smite him into the heart, and +so do him to death, and win thee great fame thereby." + +But Sigurd said, "What will betide me if I be before the blood of +the worm?" + +Says Regin, "Of what avail to counsel thee if thou art still +afeard of everything? Little art thou like thy kin in stoutness +of heart." + +Then Sigurd rides right over the heath; but Regin gets him gone, +sore afeard. + +But Sigurd fell to digging him a pit, and whiles he was at that +work, there came to him an old man with a long beard, and asked +what he wrought there, and he told him. + +Then answered the old man and said, "Thou doest after sorry +counsel: rather dig thee many pits, and let the blood run +therein; but sit thee down in one thereof, and so thrust the +worm's heart through." + +And therewithal he vanished away; but Sigurd made the pits even +as it was shown to him. + +Now crept the worm down to his place of watering, and the earth +shook all about him, and he snorted forth venom on all the way +before him as he went; but Sigurd neither trembled nor was adrad +at the roaring of him. So whenas the worm crept over the pits, +Sigurd thrust his sword under his left shoulder, so that it sank +in up to the hilts; then up leapt Sigurd from the pit and drew +the sword back again unto him, and therewith was his arm all +bloody, up to the very shoulder. + +Now when that mighty worm was ware that he had his death-wound, +then he lashed out head and tail, so that all things soever that +were before him were broken to pieces. + +So whenas Fafnir had his death-wound, he asked "Who art thou? +And who is thy father? And what thy kin, that thou wert so hardy +as to bear weapons against me?" + +Sigurd answered, "Unknown to men is my kin. I am called a noble +beast: (2) neither father have I nor mother, and all alone have I +fared hither." + +Said Fafnir, "Whereas thou hast neither father nor mother, of +what wonder weft thou born then? But now, though thou tellest me +not thy name on this my death-day, yet thou knowest verily that +thou liest unto me." + +He answered, "Sigurd am I called, and my father was Sigmund." + +Says Fafnir, "Who egged thee on to this deed, and why wouldst +thou be driven to it? Hadst thou never heard how that all folk +were adrad of me, and of the awe of my countenance? But an eager +father thou hadst, O bright eyed swain!" + +Sigurd answered, "A hardy heart urged me on hereto, and a strong +hand and this sharp sword, which well thou knowest now, stood me +in stead in the doing of the deed. `Seldom hath hardy eld a +faint-heart youth.'" + +Fafnir said, "Well, I wot that hadst thou waxed amid thy kin, +thou mightest have good skill to slay folk in thine anger; but +more of a marvel is it, that thou, a bondsman taken in war, +shouldst have the heart to set on me, `for few among bondsmen +have heart for the fight.'" + +Said 8igurd, "Wilt thou then cast it in my teeth that I am far +away from my kin? Albeit I was a bondsman, yet was I never +shackled. God wot thou hast found me free enow." + +Fafnir answered, "In angry wise dost thou take my speech; but +hearken, for that same gold which I have owned shall be thy bane +too." + +Quoth Sigurd, "Fain would we keep all our wealth til that day of +days; yet shall each man die once for all." + +Said Fafnir, "Few things wilt thou do after my counsel, but take +heed that thou shalt be drowned if thou farest unwarily over the +sea; so bide thou rather on the dry land for the coming of the +calm tide." + +Then said Sigurd, "Speak, Fafnir, and say, if thou art so +exceeding wise, who are the Norns who rule the lot of all +mothers' sons." + +Fafnir answers, "Many there be and wide apart; for some are of +the kin of the Aesir, and some are of Elfin kin, and some there +are who are daughters of Dvalin." + +Said Sigurd, "How namest thou the holm whereon Surt (3) and the +Aesir mix and mingle the water of the sword?" + +"Unshapen is that holm hight," said Fafnir. + +And yet again he said, "Regin, my brother, has brought about my +end, and it gladdens my heart that thine too he bringeth about; +for thus will things be according to his will." + +And once again he spake, "A countenance of terror I bore up +before all folk, after that I brooded over the heritage of my +brother, and on every side did I spout out poison, so that none +durst come anigh me, and of no weapon was I adrad, nor ever had I +so many men before me, as that I deemed myself not stronger than +all; for all men were sore afeard of me." + +Sigurd answered and said, "Few may have victory by means of that +same countenance of terror, for whoso comes amongst many shall +one day find that no one man is by so far the mightiest of all." + +Then says Fafnir, "Such counsel I give thee, that thou take thy +horse and ride away at thy speediest, for ofttimes it fails out +so, that he who gets a death-wound avenges himself none the +less." + +Sigurd answered, "Such as thy redes are I will nowise do after +them; nay, I will ride now to thy lair and take to me that great +treasure of thy kin." + +"Ride there then," said Fafnir, "and thou shalt find gold enow to +suffice thee for all thy life-days; yet shall that gold be thy +bane, and the bane of every one soever who owns it." + +Then up stood Sigurd, and said, "Home would I ride and lose all +that wealth, if I deemed that by the losing thereof I should +never die; but every brave and true man will fain have his hand +on wealth till that last day that thou, Fafnir, wallow in the +death-pain til Death and Hell have thee." + +And therewithal Fafnir died. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Lat. "draco", a dragon. +(2) "Unknown to men is my kin." Sigurd refusing to tell his + name is to be referred to the superstition that a dying man + could throw a curse on his enemy. +(3) Surt; a fire-giant, who will destroy the world at the + Ragnarok, or destruction of all things. Aesir; the gods. + + + +CHAPTER XIX. +Of the Slaying of Regin, Son of Hreidmar. + +Thereafter came Regin to Sigurd, and said, "Hail, lord and +master, a noble victory hast thou won in the slaying of Fafnir, +whereas none durst heretofore abide in the path of him; and now +shall this deed of fame be of renown while the world stands +fast." + +Then stood Regin staring on the earth a long while, and presently +thereafter spake from heavy-mood: "Mine own brother hast thou +slain, and scarce may I be called sackless of the deed." + +Then Sigurd took his sword Gram and dried it on the earth, and +spake to Regin -- + +"Afar thou faredst when I wrought this deed and tried this sharp +sword with the hand and the might of me; with all the might and +main of a dragon must I strive, while thou wert laid alow in the +heather-bush, wotting not if it were earth or heaven." + +Said Regin, "Long might this worm have lain in his lair, if the +sharp sword I forged with my hand had not been good at need to +thee; had that not been, neither thou nor any man would have +prevailed against him as at this time." + +Sigurd answers, "Whenas men meet foes in fight, better is stout +heart than sharp sword." + +Then said Regin, exceeding heavily, "Thou hast slain my brother, +and scarce may I be sackless of the deed." + +Therewith Sigurd cut out the heart of the worm with the sword +called Ridil; but Regin drank of Fafnir's blood, and spake, +"Grant me a boon, and do a thing little for thee to do. Bear the +heart to the fire, and roast it, and give me thereof to eat." + +Then Sigurd went his ways and roasted it on a rod; and when the +blood bubbled out he laid his finger thereon to essay it, if it +were fully done; and then he set his finger in his mouth, and lo, +when the heart-blood of the worm touched his tongue, straightway +he knew the voice of all fowls, and heard withal how the wood- +peckers chattered in the brake beside him -- + +"There sittest thou, Sigurd, roasting Fafnir's heart for another, +that thou shouldest eat thine ownself, and then thou shouldest +become the wisest of all men." + +And another spake: "There lies Regin, minded to beguile the man +who trusts in him." + +But yet again said the third, "Let him smite the head from off +him then, and be only lord of all that gold." + +And once more the fourth spake and said, "Ah, the wiser were he +if he followed after that good counsel, and rode thereafter to +Fafnir's lair, and took to him that mighty treasure that lieth +there, and then rode over Hindfell, whereas sleeps Brynhild; for +there would he get great wisdom. Ah, wise he were, if he did +after your redes, and bethought him of his own weal; `for where +wolf's ears are, wolf's teeth are near.'" + +Then cried the fifth: "Yea, yea, not so wise is he as I deem him, +if he spareth him whose brother he hath slain already." + +At last spake the sixth: "Handy and good rede to slay him, and be +lord of the treasure!" + +Then said Sigurd, "The time is unborn wherein Regin shall be my +bane; nay, rather one road shall both these brothers fare." + +And therewith he drew his sword Gram and struck off Regin's head. + +Then heard Sigurd the wood-peckers a-singing, even as the song +says. (1) + +For the first sang: + + "Bind thou, Sigurd, + The bright red rings! + Not meet it is + Many things to fear. + A fair may know I, + Fair of all the fairest + Girt about with gold, + Good for thy getting." + +And the second: + + "Green go the ways + Toward the hall of Giuki + That the fates show forth + To those who fare thither; + There the rich king + Reareth a daughter; + Thou shalt deal, Sigurd, + With gold for thy sweetling." + +And the third: + + "A high hall is there + Reared upon Hindfell, + Without all around it + Sweeps the red flame aloft. + Wise men wrought + That wonder of halls + With the unhidden gleam + Of the glory of gold." + +Then the fourth sang: + + "Soft on the fell + A shield-may sleepeth + The lime-trees' red plague + Playing about her: + The sleep-thorn set Odin + Into that maiden + For her choosing in war + The one he willed not. + + "Go, son, behold + That may under helm + Whom from battle + Vinskornir bore, + From her may not turn + The torment of sleep. + Dear offspring of kings + In the dread Norns' despite." + +Then Sigurd ate some deal of Fafnir's heart, and the remnant he +kept. Then he leapt on his horse and rode along the trail of the +worm Fafnir, and so right unto his abiding-place; and he found it +open, and beheld all the doors and the gear of them that they +were wrought of iron: yea, and all the beams of the house; and it +was dug down deep into the earth: there found Sigurd gold +exceeding plenteous, and the sword Rotti; and thence he took the +Helm of Awe, and the Gold Byrny, and many things fair and good. +So much gold he found there, that he thought verily that scarce +might two horses, or three belike, bear it thence. So he took +all the gold and laid it in two great chests, and set them on the +horse Grani, and took the reins of him, but nowise will he stir, +neither will he abide smiting. Then Sigurd knows the mind of the +horse, and leaps on the back of him, and smites and spurs into +him, and off the horse goes even as if he were unladen. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) The Songs of the Birds were inserted from "Reginsmal" by the + translators. + + + +CHAPTER XX. +Of Sigurd's Meeting with Brynhild on the Mountain. + +By long roads rides Sigurd, till he comes at the last up on to +Hindfell, and wends his way south to the land of the Franks; and +he sees before him on the fell a great light, as of fire burning, +and flaming up even unto the heavens; and when he came thereto, +lo, a shield hung castle before him, and a banner on the topmost +thereof: into the castle went Sigurd, and saw one lying there +asleep, and all-armed. Therewith he takes the helm from off the +head of him, and sees that it is no man, but a woman; and she was +clad in a byrny as closely set on her as though it had gown to +her flesh; so he rent it from the collar downwards; and then the +sleeves thereof, and ever the sword bit on it as if it were +cloth. Then said Sigurd that over-long had she lain asleep; but +she asked -- + +"What thing of great might is it that has prevailed to rend my +byrny, and draw me from my sleep?" + +Even as sings the song (1) + + "What bit on the byrny, + Why breaks my sleep away, + Who has turned from me + My wan tormenting?" + +"Ah, is it so, that here is come Sigurd Sigmundson, bearing +Fafnir's helm on his head and Fafnir's bane in his hand?" + +Then answered Sigurd -- + + "Sigmund's son + With Sigurd's sword + E'en now rent down + The raven's wall." + +"Of the Volsung's kin is he who has done the deed; but now I have +heard that thou art daughter of a mighty king, and folk have told +us that thou wert lovely and full of lore, and now I will try the +same." + +Then Brynhild sang -- + + "Long have I slept + And slumbered long, + Many and long are the woes of mankind, + By the might of Odin + Must I bide helpless + To shake from off me the spells of slumber. + + "Hail to the day come back! + Hail, sons of the daylight! + Hail to thee, dark night, and thy daughter! + Look with kind eyes a-down, + On us sitting here lonely, + And give unto us the gain that we long for. + + "Hail to the Aesir, + And the sweet Asyniur! (2) + Hail to the fair earth fulfilled of plenty! + Fair words, wise hearts, + Would we win from you, + And healing hands while life we hold." + +Then Brynhild speaks again and says, "Two kings fought, one hight +Helm Gunnar, an old man, and the greatest of warriors, and Odin +had promised the victory unto him; but his foe was Agnar, or +Audi's brother, and so I smote down Helm Gunnar in the fight; and +Odin, in vengeance for that deed, stuck the sleep-thorn into me, +and said that I should never again have the victory, but should +be given away in marriage; but there against I vowed a vow, that +never would I wed one who knew the name of fear." + +Then said Sigurd, "Teach us the lore of mighty matters!" + +She said, "Belike thou cannest more skill in all than I; yet will +I teach thee; yea, and with thanks, if there be aught of my +cunning that will in anywise pleasure thee, either of runes or of +other matters that are the root of things; but now let us drink +together, and may the Gods give to us twain a good day, that thou +mayst win good help and fame from my wisdom, and that thou mayst +hereafter mind thee of that which we twain speak together." + +Then Brynhild filled a beaker and bore it to Sigurd, and gave him +the drink of love, and spake -- + + "Beer bring I to thee, + Fair fruit of the byrnies' clash, + Mixed is it mightily, + Mingled with fame, + Brimming with bright lays + And pitiful runes, + Wise words, sweet words, + Speech of great game. + + "Runes of war know thou, + If great thou wilt be! + Cut them on hilt of hardened sword, + Some on the brand's back, + Some on its shining side, + Twice name Tyr therein. + + "Sea-runes good at need, + Learnt for ship's saving, + For the good health of the swimming horse; + On the stern cut them, + Cut them on the rudder-blade + And set flame to shaven oar: + Howso big be the sea-hills, + Howso blue beneath, + Hail from the main then comest thou home. + + "Word-runes learn well + If thou wilt that no man + Pay back grief for the grief thou gavest; + Wind thou these, + Weave thou these, + Cast thou these all about thee, + At the Thing, + Where folk throng, + Unto the full doom faring. + + "Of ale-runes know the wisdom + If thou wilt that another's wife + Should not bewray thine heart that trusteth: + Cut them on the mead-horn, + On the back of each hand, + And nick an N upon thy nail. + + "Ale have thou heed + To sign from all harm + Leek lay thou in the liquor, + Then I know for sure + Never cometh to thee, + Mead with hurtful matters mingled. + + "Help-runes shalt thou gather + If skill thou wouldst gain + To loosen child from low-laid mother; + Cut be they in hands hollow, + Wrapped the joints round about; + Call for the Good-folks' gainsome helping. + + "Learn the bough-runes wisdom + If leech-lore thou lovest; + And wilt wot about wounds' searching + On the bark be they scored; + On the buds of trees + Whose boughs look eastward ever. + + "Thought-runes shalt thou deal with + If thou wilt be of all men + Fairest-souled wight, and wisest, + These areded + These first cut + These first took to heart high Hropt. + + "On the shield were they scored + That stands before the shining God, + On Early-waking's ear, + On All-knowing's hoof, + On the wheel which runneth + Under Rognir's chariot; + On Sleipnir's jaw-teeth, + On the sleigh's traces. + + "On the rough bear's paws, + And on Bragi's tongue, + On the wolfs claws, + And on eagle's bill, + On bloody wings, + And bridge's end; + On loosing palms, + And pity's path: + + "On glass, and on gold, + And on goodly silver, + In wine and in wort, + And the seat of the witch-wife; + On Gungnir's point, + And Grani's bosom; + On the Norn's nail, + And the neb of the night-owl. + + "All these so cut, + Were shaven and sheared, + And mingled in with holy mead, + And sent upon wide ways enow; + Some abide with the Elves, + Some abide with the Aesir, + Or with the wise Vanir, + Some still hold the sons of mankind. + + "These be the book-runes, + And the runes of good help, + And all the ale-runes, + And the runes of much might; + To whomso they may avail, + Unbewildered unspoilt; + They are wholesome to have: + Thrive thou with these then. + When thou hast learnt their lore, + Till the Gods end thy life-days. + + "Now shalt thou choose thee + E'en as choice is bidden, + Sharp steel's root and stem, + Choose song or silence; + See to each in thy heart, + All hurt has been heeded." + +Then answered Sigurd -- + + "Ne'er shall I flee, + Though thou wottest me fey; + Never was I born for blenching, + Thy loved rede will I + Hold aright in my heart + Even as long as I may live." + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) The stanzas on the two following pages were inserted here + from "Sigrdrifasmal" by the translators. +(2) Goddesses. + + + +CHAPTER XXI. +More Wise Words of Brynhild. + +Sigurd spake now, "Sure no wiser woman than thou art one may be +found in the wide world; yea, yea, teach me more yet of thy +wisdom!" + +She answers, "Seemly is it that I do according to thy will, and +show thee forth more redes of great avail, for thy prayer's sake +and thy wisdom ;" and she spake withal -- + +"Be kindly to friend and kin, and reward not their trespasses +against thee; bear and forbear, and win for thee thereby long +enduring praise of men. + +"Take good heed of evil things: a may's love, and a man's wife; +full oft thereof doth ill befall! + +"Let not thy mind be overmuch crossed by unwise men at thronged +meetings of folk; for oft these speak worse than they wot of; +lest thou be called a dastard, and art minded to think that thou +art even as is said; slay such an one on another day, and so +reward his ugly talk. + +"If thou farest by the way whereas bide evil things, be well ware +of thyself; take not harbour near the highway, though thou be +benighted, for oft abide there ill wights for men's bewilderment. + +"Let not fair women beguile thee, such as thou mayst meet at the +feast, so that the thought thereof stand thee in stead of sleep, +and a quiet mind; yea, draw them not to thee with kisses or other +sweet things of love. + +"If thou hearest the fool's word of a drunken man, strive not +with him being drunk with drink and witless; many a grief, yea, +and the very death, groweth from out such things. + +"Fight thy foes in the field, nor be burnt in thine house. + +'Never swear thou wrongsome oath; great and grim is the reward +for the breaking of plighted troth. + +"Give kind heed to dead men, -- sick-dead, Sea-dead, or ~word- +dead; deal heedfully with their dead corpses. + +"Trow never in him for whom thou hast slain father, brother, or +whatso near kin, yea, though young he be; `for oft waxes wolf in +youngling'. + +"Look thou with good heed to the wiles of thy friends; but little +skill is given to me, that I should foresee the ways of thy life; +yet good it were that hate fell not on thee from those of thy +wife's house." + +Sigurd spake, "None among the sons of men can be found wiser than +thou; and thereby swear I, that thee will I have as my own, for +near to my heart thou liest." + +She answers, "Thee would I fainest choose, though I had all men's +sons to choose from." + +And thereto they plighted troth both of them. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. +Of the Semblance and Array of Sigurd Fafnir's bane. (1) + +Now Sigurd rides away; many-folded is his shield, an blazing with +red gold, and the image of a dragon is drawn thereon; and this +same was dark brown above, and bright red below; and with even +such-like image was adorned helm, and saddle, and coat-armour; +and he was clad in the golden byrny, and all his weapons were +gold wrought. + +Now for this cause was the drake drawn on all his weapons, that +when he was seen of men, all folk might know who went there; yea, +all those who had heard of his slaying of that great dragon, that +the Voerings call Fafnir, and for that cause are his weapons +gold-wrought, and brown of hue, and that he was by far above +other men in courtesy and goodly manners, and well-nigh in all +things else; and whenas folk tell of all the mightiest champions, +and the noblest chiefs, then ever is he named the foremost, and +his name goes wide about on all tongues north of the sea of the +Greek-lands, and even so shall it be while the world endures. + +Now the hair of this Sigurd was golden-red of hue, fair of +fashion, and falling down in great locks; thick and short was his +beard, and of no other colour, high-nosed he was, broad and high- +boned of face; so keen were his eyes, that few durst gaze up +under the brows of him; his shoulders were as broad to look on as +the shoulders of two; most duly was his body fashioned betwixt +height and breadth, and in such wise as was seemliest; and this +is the sign told of his height, that when he was girt with his +sword Gram, which same was seven spans long, as he went through +the full-grown rye-fields, the dew-shoe of the said sword smote +the ears of the standing corn; and, for all that, ;~greater was +his strength than his growth: well could he wield sword, and cast +forth spear, shoot shaft, and hold shield, bend bow, back horse, +and do all the goodly deeds that he learned in his youth's days. + +Wise he was to know things yet undone; and the voice of all fowls +he knew, wherefore few things fell on him unawares. + +Of many words he was and so fair of speech withal, that +whensoever he made it his business to speak, he never left +speaking before that to all men it seemed full sure, that no +otherwise must the matter be than as he said. + +His sport and pleasure it was to give aid to his own folk, and to +prove himself in mighty matters, to take wealth from his +unfriends, and give the same to his friends. + +Never did he lose heart, and of naught was he adrad. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) This chapter is nearly literally the same as chapter 166 of + the "Wilkinasaga"; Ed.: Perinskiold, Stockholm, 1715. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. +Sigurd comes to Hlymdale. + +Forth Sigurd fides till he comes to a great and goodly dwelling, +the lord whereof was a mighty chief called Heimir; he had to wife +a sister of Brynhild, who was hight Bekkhild, because she had +bidden at home, and learned handicraft, whereas Brynhild fared +with helm and byrny, unto the wars, wherefore was she called +Brynhild. + +Heimir and Bekkhild had a son called Alswid, the most courteous +of men. + +Now at this stead were men disporting them abroad, but when they +see the man riding thereto, they leave their play to wonder at +him, for none such had they ever seen erst, so they went to meet +him, and gave him good welcome. Alswid bade him abide and have +such things at his hands as he would; and he takes his bidding +blithesomely; due service withal was established for him; four +men bore the treasure of gold from off the horse, and the fifth +took it to him to guard the same; therein were many things to +behold, things of great price, and seldom seen; and great game +and joy men had to look on byrnies and helms, and mighty rings, +and wondrous great golden stoups, and all kinds of war weapons. + +So there dwelt Sigurd long in great honour holden; and tidings of +that deed of fame spread wide through all lands, of how he had +slain that hideous and fearful dragon. So good joyance had they +there together, and each was leal to other; and their sport was +in the arraying of their weapons, and the shafting of their +arrows, and the flying of their falcons. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. +Sigurd sees Brynhild at Hlymdale. + +In those days came home to Heimir, Brynhild, his foster daughter, +and she sat in her bower with her maidens, and could do more +skill in handycraft than other women; she sat, overlaying cloth +with gold, and sewing therein the great deeds which Sigurd had +wrought, the slaying of the Worm, and the taking of the wealth of +him, and the death of Regin withal. + +Now tells the tale, that on a day Sigurd rode into the wood with +hawk, and hound, and men thronging; and whenas he came home his +hawk flew up to a high tower and sat him down on a certain +window. Then fared Sigurd after his hawk, and he saw where sat a +fair woman, and knew that it was Brynhild, and he deems all +things he sees there to be worthy together, both her fairness, +and the fair things she wrought: and therewith he goes into the +hall, but has no more joyance in the games of the men folk. + +Then spake Alswid, "Why art thou so bare of bliss; this manner of +thine grieveth us thy friends; why then wilt thou not hold to thy +gleesome ways? Lo, thy hawks pine now, and thy horse Grani +droops; and long will it be ere we are booted thereof?" + +Sigurd answered, "Good friend, hearken to what lies on my mind; +for my hawk flew up into a certain tower; and when I came thereto +and took him, lo there I saw a fair woman, and she sat by a +needlework of gold, and did thereon, my deeds that are passed, +and my deeds that are to come," + +Then said Alswid, "Thou has seen Brynhild, Budli's daughter, the +greatest of great women." + +"Yea, verily," said Sigurd; "but how came she hither?" + +Aswid answered, "Short space there was betwixt the coming hither +of the twain of you." + +Says Sigurd, "Yea, but a few, days agone I knew her for the best +of the world's women." + +Alswid said, "Give not all thine heed to one woman, being such a +man as thou art; ill life to sit lamenting for what we may not +have." + +"I shall go meet her," says Sigurd, "and get from her love like +my love, and give her a gold ring in token thereof." + +Alswid answered, "None has ever yet been known whom she would let +sit beside her, or to whom she would give drink; for ever will +she hold to warfare and to the winning of all kinds of fame." + +Sigurd said, "We know not for sure whether she will give us +answer or not, or grant us a seat beside her." + +So the next day after, Sigurd went to the bower, but Alswid stood +outside the bower door, fitting shafts to his arrows. + +Now Sigurd spake, "Abide, fair and hale lady, -- how farest +thou?" + +She answered, "Well it fares; my kin and my friends live yet: but +who shall say what goodhap folk may bear to their life's end?" + +He sat him down by her, and there came in four damsels with great +golden beakers, and the best of wine therein; and these stood +before the twain. + +Then said Brynhild, "This seat is for few, but and if my father +come." + +He answered, "Yet is it granted to one that likes me well." + +Now that chamber was hung with the best and fairest of hanging, +and the floor thereof was all covered with cloth. + +Sigurd spake, "Now has it come to pass even as thou didst +promise." + +"O be thou welcome here!" said she, and arose there with, and the +four damsels with her, and bore the golden beaker to him, and +bade him drink; he stretched oui his hand to the beaker, and took +it, and her hand withal, and drew her down beside him; and cast +his arms round about her neck and kissed her, and said -- + +"Thou art the fairest that was ever born!" + +But Brynhild said, "Ah, wiser is it not to cast faith and troth +into a woman's power, for ever shall they break that they have +promised." + +He said, "That day would dawn the best of days over our heads +whereon each of each should be made happy." + +Brynhild answered, "It is not fated that we should abide +together; I am a shield-may, and wear helm on head even as the +kings of war, and them full oft I help, neither is the battle +become loathsome to me." + +Sigurd answered, "What fruit shall be of our life, if we live not +together: harder to bear this pain that lies hereunder, than the +stroke of sharp sword." + +Brynhild answers, "I shall gaze on the hosts of the war kings, +but thou shalt wed Gudrun, the daughter of Giuki." + +Sigurd answered, "What king's daughter lives to beguile me? +Neither am I double-hearted herein; and now I swear by the Gods +that thee shall I have for mine own, or no woman else. + +And even suchlike wise spake she. + +8igurd thanked her for her speech, and gave her a gold ring, and +now they swore oath anew, and so he went his ways to his men, and +is with them awhile in great bliss. + + + +CHAPTER XXV. +Of the Dream of Gudrun, Giuki's daughter. + +There was a king hight Giuki, who ruled a realm south of the +Rhine; three sons he had, thus named: Gunnar, Hogni, and Guttorm, +and Gudrun was the name of his daughter, the fairest of maidens; +and all these children were far before all other king's children +in all prowess, and in goodliness and growth withal; ever were +his sons at the wars and wrought many a deed of fame. But Giuki +had wedded Grimhild the Wise-wife. + +Now Budli was the name of a king mightier than Giuki, mighty +though they both were: and Atli was the brother of Brynhild: Atli +was a fierce man and a grim, great and black to look on, yet +noble of mien withal, and the greatest of warriors. Grimhild was +a fierce-heart woman. + +Now the days of the Giukings bloomed fair, and chiefly because of +those children, so far before the sons of men. + +On a day Gudrun says to her mays that she may have no joy of +heart; then a certain woman asked her wherefore her joy was +departed. + +She answered, "Grief came to me in my dreams, therefore is there +sorrow in my heart, since thou must needs ask thereof." + +"Tell it me, then, thy dream," said the woman, "for dreams oft +forecast but the weather." + +Gudrun answers, "Nay, nay, no weather is this; I dreamed that I +had a fair hawk on my wrist, feathered with feathers of gold." + +Says the woman, "Many have heard tell of thy beauty, thy wisdom, +and thy courtesy; some king's son abides thee, then." + +Gudrun answers, "I dreamed that naught was so dear to me as this +hawk, and all my wealth had I cast aside rather than him." + +The woman said, "Well, then, the man thou shalt have will be of +the goodliest, and well shalt thou love him." + +Gudrun answered, "It grieves me that I know not who he shall be; +let us go seek Brynhild, for she belike will wot thereof." + +So they arrayed them in gold and many a fair thing, and she went +with her damsels till they came to the hall of Brynhild, and that +hall was dight with gold, and stood on a high hill; and whenas +their goings were seen, it was told Brynhild, that a company of +women drove toward the burg in gilded waggons. + +"That shall be Gudrun, Giuki's daughter," says she: "I dreamed of +her last night; let us go meet her! No fairer woman may come to +our house." + +So they went abroad to meet them, and gave them good greeting, +and they went into the goodly hall together; fairly painted it +was within, and well adorned with silver vessel; cloths were +spread under the feet of them, and all folk served them, and in +many wise they sported. + +But Gudrun was somewhat silent. + +Then said Brynhild, "Ill to abash folk of their mirth; prithee do +not so; let us talk together for our disport of mighty kings and +their great deeds." + +"Good talk," says Gudrun, "let us do even so; what kings deemest +thou to have been the first of all men?" + +Brynhild says, "The sons of Haki, and Hagbard withal; they +brought to pass many a deed of fame in the warfare." + +Gudrun answers, "Great men certes, and of noble fame! Yet Sigar +took their one sister, and burned the other, house and all; and +they may be called slow to revenge the deed; why didst thou not +name my brethren who are held to be the first of men as at this +time?" + +Brynhild says, "Men of good hope are they surely though but +little proven hitherto; but one I know far before them, Sigurd, +the son of Sigmund the king; a youngling was he in the days when +he slew the sons of Hunding, and revenged his father, and Eylimi, +his mother's father." + +Said Gudrun, "By what token tellest thou that?" + +Brynhild answered, "His mother went amid the dead and found +Sigmund the king sore wounded, and would bind up his hurts; but +he said he grew over old for war; and bade her lay this comfort +to her heart, that she should bear the most famed of sons; and +wise was the wise man's word therein: for after the death of King +Sigmund, she went to King Alf, and there was Sigurd nourished in +great honour, and day by day he wrought some deed of fame, and is +the man most renowned of all the wide world." + +Gudrun says, "From love hast thou gained these tidings of him; +but for this cause came I here, to tell thee dreams of mine which +have brought me great grief." + +Says Brynhild, "Let not such matters sadden thee: abide with thy +friends who wish thee blithesome, all of them!" + +"This I dreamed," said Gudrun, "that we went, a many of us in +company, from the bower, and we saw an exceeding great hart, that +far excelled all other deer ever seen, and the hair of him was +golden; and this deer we were all fain to take, but I alone got +him; and he seemed to me better than all things else; but +sithence thou, Byrnhild, didst shoot and slay my deer even at my +very knees, and such grief was that to me that scarce might I +bear it; and then afterwards thou gavest me a wolf-cub, which +besprinkled me with the blood of my brethren." + +Brynhild answers, "I will arede thy dream, even as things shall +come to pass hereafter; for Sigurd shall come to thee, even he +whom I have chosen for my well-beloved; and Grimhild shall give +him mead mingled with hurtful things, which shall cast us all +into mighty strife. Him shalt thou have, and him shalt thou +quickly miss; and Atli the king shalt thou wed; and thy brethren +shalt thou lose, and slay Atli withal in the end." + +Dudrun answers, "Grief and woe to know that such things shall +be!" + +And therewith she and hers get them gone home to King Giuki. + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +Now Sigurd goes his ways with all that great treasure, and in +friendly wise he departs from them; and on Grani he rides with +all his war-gear and the burden withal; and thus he rides until +he comes to the hall of King Giuki; there he rides into the burg, +and that sees one of the king's men, and he spake withal -- + +"Sure it may be deemed that here is come one of the Gods, for his +array is all done with gold, and his horse is far mightier than +other horses, and the manner of his weapons is most exceeding +goodly, and most of all the man himself far excels all other men +ever seen." + +So the king goes out with his court and greets the man, and asks +-- + +"Who art thou who thus ridest into my burg, as none has durst +hitherto without the leave of my sons?" + +He answered, "I am called Sigurd, son of King Sigmund." + +Then said King Giuki, "Be thou welcome here then, and take at our +hands whatso thou wiliest." + +So he went into the king's hall, and all men seemed little beside +him, and all men served him, and there he abode in great joyance. + +Now oft they all ride abroad together, Sigurd and Gunnar and +Hogni, and ever is Sigurd far the foremost of them, mighty men of +their hands though they were. + +But Grimhild finds how heartily Sigurd loved Brynhild, and how +oft he talks of her; and she falls to thinking how well it were, +if he might abide there and wed the daughter of King Giuki, for +she saw that none might come anigh to his goodliness, and what +faith and goodhelp there was in him, and how that he had more +wealth withal than folk might tell of any man; and the king did +to him even as unto his own sons, and they for their parts held +him of more worth than themselves. + +So on a night as they sat at the drink, the queen arose, and went +before Sigurd, and said -- + +"Great joy we have in thine abiding here, and all good things +will we put before thee to take of us; lo now, take this horn and +drink thereof." + +So he took it and drank, and therewithal she said, "Thy father +shall be Giuki the king, and I shall be thy mother, and Gunnar +and Hogni shall be thy brethren, and all this shall be sworn with +oaths each to each; and then surely shall the like of you never +be found on earth." + +Sigurd took her speech well, for with the drinking of that drink +all memory of Brynhild departed from him. So there he abode +awhile. + +And on a day went Grimhild to Giuki the king, and cast her arms +about his neck, and spake -- + +"Behold, there has now come to us the greatest of great hearts +that the world holds; and needs must he be trusty and of great +avail; give him thy daughter then, with plenteous wealth, and as +much of rule as he will; perchance thereby he will be well +content to abide here ever." + +The king answered, "Seldom does it befall that kings offer their +daughters to any; yet in higher wise will it be done to offer her +to this man, than to take lowly prayers to her from others." + +On a night Gudrun pours out the drink, and Sigurd beholds her how +fair she is and how full of all courtesy. + +Five seasons Sigurd abode there, and ever they passed their days +together in good honour and friendship. + +And so it befell that the king held talk together, and Giuki said +-- + +"Great good thou givest us, Sigurd, and with exceeding strength +thou strengthenest our realm." + +Then Gunnar said, "All things that may be will we do for thee, so +thou abidest here long; both dominion shall thou have, and our +sister freely and unprayed for, whom another man would not get +for all his prayers." + +Sigurd says, "Thanks have ye for this wherewith; ye honour me, +and gladly will I take the same." + +Therewith they swore brotherhood together, and to be even as if +they were children of one father and one mother; and a noble +feast was holden, and endured many days, and Sigurd drank at the +wedding of him and Gudrun; and there might men behold all manner +of game and glee, and each day the feast was better and better. + +Now fare these folk wide over the world, and do many great deeds, +and slay many kings' sons, and no man has ever done such works of +prowess as did they; then home they come again with much wealth +won in war. + +Sigurd gave of the serpent's heart to Gudrun, and she ate +thereof, and became greater-hearted, and wiser than ere before: +and the son of these twain was called Sigmund. + +Now on a time went Grimhild to Gunnar her son, and spake -- + +"Fair blooms the life and fortune of thee, but for one thing +only, and namely whereas thou art unwedded; go woo Brynhild; good +rede is this, and Sigurd will ride with thee." + +Gunnar answered, "Fair in she certes, and I am fain enow to win +her;" and therewith he tells his father, and his brethren, and +Sigurd, and they all prick him on to that wooing. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. +The Wooing of Brynhild. + +Now they array them joyously for their journey, and ride over +hill and dale to the house of King Budli, and woo his daughter of +him; in a good wise he took their speech, if so be that she +herself would not deny them, but he said withal that so high- +minded was she, that that man only might wed her whom she would. + +Then they ride to Hlymdale, and there Heimir gave them good +welcome; so Gunnar tells his errand; Heimir says, that she must +needs wed but him whom she herself chose freely; and tells them +how her abode was but a little way thence, and that he deemed +that him only would she have who should ride through the flaming +fire that was drawn round about her hall; so they depart and come +to the hall and the fire, and see there a castle with a golden +roof-ridge, and all round about a fire roaring up. + +Now Gunnar rode on Goti, but Hogni on Holkvi, and Gunnar smote +his horse to face the fire, but he shrank aback. + +Then said Sigurd, "Why givest thou back, Gunnar?" + +He answered, "The horse will not tread this fire; but lend me thy +horse Grani." + +"Yea, with all my good will," says Sigurd. + +Then Gunnar rides him at the fire, and yet nowise will Gram stir, +nor may Gunnar any the more ride through that fire. So now they +change semblance, Gunnar and Sigurd, even as Grimhild had taught +them; then Sigurd in the likeness of Gunnar mounts and rides, +Gram in his hand, and golden spurs on his heels; then leapt Grani +into the fire when he felt the spurs; and a mighty roar arose as +the fire burned ever madder, and the earth trembled, and the +flames went up even unto the heavens, nor had any dared to ride +as he rode, even as it were through the deep mirk. + +But now the fire sank withal, and he leapt from his horse and +went into the hall, even as the song says -- + + "The flame flared at its maddest, + Earth's fields fell a-quaking + As the red flame aloft + Licked the lowest of heaven. + Few had been fain, + Of the rulers of folk, + To ride through that flame, + Or athwart it to tread. + + "Then Sigurd smote + Grani with sword, + And the flame was slaked + Before the king; + Low lay the flames + Before the fain of fame; + Bright gleamed the array + That Regin erst owned. + +Now when Sigurd had passed through the fire, he came into a +certain fair dwelling, and therein sat Brynhild. + +She asked, "What man is it?" + +Then he named himself Gunnar, son of Giuki, and said -- "Thou art +awarded to me as my wife, by the good will and word of thy father +and thy foster-father, and I have ridden through the flame of thy +fire, according to thy that thou hast set forth." + +"I wot not clearly," said she, "how I shall answer thee." + +Now Sigurd stood upright on the hall floor, and leaning on the +hilt of his sword, and he spake to Brynhild -- + +"In reward thereof, shall I pay thee a great dower in gold and +goodly things?" + +She answered in heavy mood from her seat, whereas she sat like +unto swan on billow, having a sword in her hand and a helm on her +head, and being clad in a byrny, "O Gunnar," she says, "speak not +to me of such things unless thou be the first and best of all +men; for then shall thou slay those my wooers, if thou hast heart +thereto; I have been in battles with the king of the Greeks, and +weapons were stained with red blood, and for such things still I +yearn." + +He answered, "Yea, certes many great deeds hast thou done; but +yet call thou to mind thine oath, concerning the riding through +of this fire, wherein thou didst swear that thou wouldst go with +the man who should do this deed." + +So she found that he spoke but the sooth, and she paid heed to +his words, and arose, and greeted him meetly, and he abode there +three nights, and they lay in one bed together; but he took the +sword Gram and laid it betwixt them: then she asked him why he +laid it there; and he answered, that in that wise must he needs +wed his wife or else get his bane. + +Then she took from off her the ring Andvari's loom, which he had +given her aforetime, and gave it to him, but he gave her another +ring out of Fafnir's hoard. + +Thereafter he rode away through the same fire unto his Fellows, +and he and Gunnar changed semblances again, and rode unto +Hlymdale, and told how it had gone with them. + +That same day went Brynhild home to her foster-father, and tells +him as one whom she trusted, how that there had come a king to +her; "And he rode through my flaming fire, and said he was come +to woo me, and named himself Gunnar; but I said that such a deed +might Sigurd alone have done, with whom I plighted troth on the +mountain; and he is my first troth-plight, and my well-beloved." + +Heimir said that things must needs abide even as now they had now +come to pass. + +Brynhild said, "Aslaug the daughter of me and Sigurd shall be +nourished here with thee." + +Now the kings fare home, but Brynhild goes to her father; +Grimhild welcomes the kings meetly, and thanks Sigurd for his +fellowship; and withal is a great feast made, and many were the +guests thereat; and thither came Budli the King with his daughter +Brynhild, and his son Atli, and for many days did the feast +endure: and at that feast was Gunnar wedded to Brynhild: but when +it was brought to an end, once more has Sigurd memory of all the +oaths that he sware unto Brynhild, yet withal he let all things +abide in rest and peace. + +Brynhild and Gunnar sat together in great game and glee, and +drank goodly wine. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. +How the Queens held angry converse together at the Bathing. + +On a day as the Queens went to the river to bathe them, Brynhild +waded the farthest out into the river; then asked Gudrun what +that deed might signify. + +Brynhild said, "Yea, and why then should I be equal to thee in +this matter more than in others? I am minded to think that my +father is mightier than thine, and my true love has wrought many +wondrous works of fame, and hath ridden the flaming fire withal, +while thy husband was but the thrall of King Hjalprek." + +Gudrun answered full of wrath, "Thou wouldst be wise if thou +shouldst hold thy peace rather than revile my husband: lo now, +the talk of all men it is, that none has ever abode in this world +like unto him in all matters soever; and little it beseems thee +of all folk to mock him who was thy first beloved: and Fafnir he +slew, yea, and he rode thy flaming fire, whereas thou didst deem +that he was Gunnar the King, and by thy side he lay, and took +from thine hand the ring Andvari's-loom; -- here mayst thou well +behold it!" + +Then Brynhild saw the ring and knew it, and waxed as wan as a +dead woman, and she went home and spake no word the evening long. + +So when Sigurd came to bed to Gudrun she asked him why Brynhild's +joy was so departed. + +He answered, "I know not, but sore I misdoubt me that soon we +shall know thereof overwell." + +Gudrun said, "Why may she not love her life, having wealth and +bliss, and the praise of all men, and the man withal that she +would have?" + +"Ah, yea!" said Sigurd, "and where in all the world was she then, +when she said that she deemed she had the noblest of all men, and +the dearest to her heart of all?" + +Gudrun answers, "Tomorn will I ask her concerning this, who is +the liefest to her of all men for a husband." + +Sigurd said, "Needs must I forbid thee this, and full surely wilt +thou rue the deed if thou doest it." + +Now the next morning they sat in the bower, and Brynhild was +silent; then spake Gudrun -- + +"Be merry, Brynhild! Grievest thou because of that speech of +ours together, or what other thing slayeth thy bliss?" + +Brynhild answers, "With naught but evil intent thou sayest this, +for a cruel heart thou hast." + +"Say not so," said Gudrun; "but rather tell me all the tale." + +Brynhild answers, "Ask such things only as are good for thee to +know -- matters meet for mighty dames. Good to love good things +when all goes according to thy heart's desire!" + +Gudrun says, "Early days for me to glory in that; but this word +of thine looketh toward some foreseeing. What ill dost thou +thrust at us? I did naught to grieve thee." + +Brynhild answers, "For this shalt thou pay, in that thou hast got +Sigurd to thee, -- nowise can I see thee living in the bliss +thereof, whereas thou hast him, and the wealth and the might of +him." + +But Gudrun answered, "Naught knew I of your words and vows +together; and well might my father look to the mating of me +without dealing with thee first." + +"No secret speech had we," quoth Brynhild, "though we swore oath +together; and full well didst thou know that thou wentest about +to beguile me; verily thou shalt have thy reward!" + +Says Gudrun, "Thou art mated better than thou are worthy of; but +thy pride and rage shall be hard to slake belike, and there for +shall many a man pay." + +"Ah, I should be well content," said Brynhild, "if thou hadst not +the nobler man!" + +Gudrun answers, "So noble a husband hast thou, that who knows of +a greater king or a lord of more wealth and might?" + +Says Brynhild, "Sigurd slew Fafnir, and that only deed is of more +worth than all the might of King Gunnar." + +(Even as the song says) -- + + "The worm Sigurd slew, + Nor ere shall that deed + Be worsened by age + While the world is alive. + But thy brother the King + Never durst, never bore + The flame to ride down + Through the fire to fare." + +Gudrun answers, "Grani would not abide the fire under Gunnar the +King, but Sigurd durst the deed, and thy heart may well abide +without mocking him." + +Brynhild answers, "Nowise will I hide from thee that I deem no +good of Grimhild." + +Says Gudrun, "Nay, lay no ill words on her, for in all things she +is to thee as to her own daughter." + +"Ah," says Brynhild, "she is the beginning of all this hale that +biteth so; an evil drink she bare to Sigurd, so that he had no +more memory of my very name." + +"All wrong thou talkest; a lie without measure is this," quoth +Gudrun. + +Brynhild answered, "Have thou joy of Sigurd according to the +measure of the wiles wherewith ye have beguiled me! Unworthily +have ye conspired against me; may all things go with you as my +heart hopes!" + +Gudrun says, "More joy shall I have of him than thy wish would +give unto me: but to no man's mind it came, that he had aforetime +his pleasure of me; nay not once." + +"Evil speech thou speakest," says Brynhild; "when thy wrath runs +off thou wilt rue it; but come now, let us no more cast angry +words one at the other!" + +Says Gudrun, "Thou wert the first to cast such words at me, and +now thou makest as if thou wouldst amend it, but a cruel and hard +heart abides behind." + +"Let us lay aside vain babble," says Brynhild. "Long did I hold +my peace concerning my sorrow of heart, and, lo now, thy brother +alone do I love; let us fall to other talk." + +Gudrun said, "Far beyond all this doth thine heart look." + +And so ugly ill befell from that going to the river, and that +knowing of the ring, wherefrom did all their talk arise. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. +Of Brynhild's great Grief and Mourning. + +After this talk Brynhild lay a-bed, and tidings were brought to +King Gunnar that Brynhild was sick; he goes to see her thereon, +and asks what ails her; but she answered him naught, but lay +there as one dead: and when he was hard on her for an answer, she +said -- + +"What didst thou with that ring that I gave thee, even the one +which King Budli gave me at our last parting, when thou and King +Giuki came to him and threatened fire and the sword, unless ye +had me to wife? Yea, at that time he led me apart, and asked me +which I had chosen of those who were come; but I prayed him that +I might abide to ward the land and be chief over the third part +of his men; then were there two choices for me to deal betwixt +either that I should be wedded to him whom he would, or lose all +my weal and friendship at his hands; and he said withal that his +friendship would be better to me than his wrath: then I bethought +me whether I should yield to his will, or slay many a man; and +therewithal I deemed that it would avail little to strive with +him, and so it fell out, that I promised to wed whomsoever should +ride the horse Grani with Fafnir's Hoard, and ride through my +flaming fire, and slay those men whom I called on him to slay, +and now so it was, that none durst ride, save Sigurd only, +because he lacked no heart thereto; yea, and the Worm he flew, +and Regin, and five kings beside; but thou, Gunnar, durst do +naught; as pale as a dead man didst thou wax, and no king thou +art, and no champion; so whereas I made a vow unto my father, +that him alone would I love who was the noblest man alive, and +that this is none save Sigurd, lo, now have I broken my oath and +brought it to naught, since he is none of mine, and for this +cause shall I compass thy death; and a great reward of evil +things have I wherewith to reward Grimhild; -- never, I wot, has +woman lived eviler or of lesser heart than she." + +Gunnar answered in such wise that few might hear him, "Many a +vile word hast thou spoken, and an evil-hearted woman art thou, +whereas thou revilest a woman far better than thou; never would +she curse her life as thou dost; nay, nor has she tormented dead +folk, or murdered any; but lives her life well praised of all." + +Brynhild answered, "Never have I dwelt with evil things privily, +or done loathsome deeds; -- yet most fain I am to slay thee." + +And therewith would she slay King Gunnar, but Hogni laid her in +fetters; but then Gunnar spake withal -- + +"Nay, I will not that she abide in fetters." + +Then said she, "Heed it not! For never again seest thou me glad +in thine hall, never drinking, never at the chess-play, never +speaking the words of kindness, never over-laying the fair cloths +with gold, never giving thee good counsel; -- ah, my sorrow of +heart that I might not get Sigurd to me!" + +Then she sat up and smote her needlework, and rent it asunder, +and bade set open her bower doors, that far away might the +wailings of her sorrow be heard; then great mourning and +lamentation there was, so that folk heard far and wide through +that abode. + +Now Gudrun asked her bower-maidens why they sat so joyless and +downcast. "What has come to you, that ye fare ye as witless +women, or what unheard-of wonders have befallen you?" + +Then answered a waiting lady, hight Swaflod, "An untimely, an +evil day it is, and our hall is fulfilled of lamentation." + +Then spake Gudrun to one of her handmaids, "Arise, for we have +slept long; go, wake Brynhild, and let us fall to our needlework +and be merry." + +"Nay, nay," she says, "nowise may I wake her, or talk with her; +for many days has she drunk neither mead nor wine; surely the +wrath of the Gods has fallen upon her." + +Then spake Gudrun to Gunnar, "Go and see her," she says, "and bid +her know that I am grieved with her grief." + +"Nay," says Gunnar, "I am forbid to go see her or to share her +weal." + +Nevertheless he went unto her, and strives in many wise to have +speech of her, but gets no answer whatsoever; therefore he gets +him gone and finds Hogni, and bids him go see her: he said he was +loth thereto, but went, and gat no more of her. + +Then they go and find Sigurd, and pray him to visit her; he +answered naught thereto, and so matters abode for that night. + +But the next day, when he came home from hunting, Sigurd went to +Gudrun, and spake -- + +"In such wise do matters show to me, as though great and evil +things will betide from this trouble and upheaving; and that +Brynhild will surely die." + +Gudrun answers, "O my lord, by great wonders is she encompassed, +seven days and seven nights has she slept, and none has dared +wake her." + +"Nay, she sleeps not," said Sigurd, "her heart is dealing rather +with dreadful intent against me." + +Then said Gudrun, weeping, "Woe worth the while for thy death! +Go and see her; and wot if her fury may not be abated; give her +gold, and smother up her grief and anger therewith!" + +Then Sigurd went out, and found the door of Brynhild's chamber +open; he deemed she slept, and drew the clothes from off her, and +said -- + +"Awake, Brynhild! The sun shineth now over all the house, and +thou hast slept enough; cast off grief from thee, and take up +gladness!" + +She said, "And how then hast thou dared to come to me? In this +treason none was worse to me than thou." + +Said Sigurd, "Why wilt thou not speak to folk? For what cause +sorrowest thou?" + +Brynhild answers, "Ah, to thee will I tell of my wrath!" + +Sigurd said, "As one under a spell art thou, if thou deemest that +there is aught cruel in my heart against thee; but thou hast him +for husband whom thou didst choose." + +"Ah, nay," she said, "never did Gunnar ride through the fire to +me, nor did he give me to dower the host of the slain: I wondered +at the man who came into my hall; for I deemed indeed that I knew +thine eyes; but I might not see clearly, or divide the good from +the evil, because of the veil that lay heavy on my fortune." + +Says Sigurd, "No nobler men are there than the sons of Giuki, +they slew the king of the Danes, and that great chief, the +brother of King Budli." + +Brynhild answered, "Surely for many an ill-deed must I reward +them; mind me not of my griefs against them! But thou, Sigurd, +slewest the Worm, and rodest the fire through; yea, and for my +sake, and not one of the sons of King Giuki." + +Sigurd answers, "I am not thy husband, and thou art not my wife; +yet did a farfamed king pay dower to thee." + +Says Brynhild, "Never looked I at Gunnar in such a wise that my +heart smiled on him; and hard and fell am I to him, though I hide +it from others." + +"A marvellous thing," says Sigurd, "not to love such a king; what +angers thee most? For surely his love should be better to thee +than gold." + +"This is the sorest sorrow to me," she said, "that the bitter +sword is not reddened in thy blood." + +"Have no fear thereof!" says he, "no long while to wait or the +bitter sword stand deep in my heart; and no worse needest thou to +pray for thyself, for thou wilt not live when I am dead; the days +of our two lives shall be few enough from henceforth." + +Brynhild answers, "Enough and to spare of bale is in thy speech, +since thou bewrayedst me, and didst twin (1) me and all bliss; -- +naught do I heed my life or death." + +Sigurd answers, "Ah, live, and love King Gunnar and me withal! +And all my wealth will I give thee if thou die not." + +Brynhild answers, "Thou knowest me not, nor the heart that is in +me; for thou art the first and best of all men, and I am become +the most loathsome of all woman to thee." + +"This is truer," says Sigurd, "that I loved thee better than +myself, though I fell into the wiles from whence our lives may +not escape; for whenso my own heart and mind availed me, then I +sorrowed sore that thou wert not my wife; but as I might I put my +trouble from me, for in a king's dwelling was I; and withal and +in spite of all I was well content that we were all together. +Well may it be, that that shall come to pass which is foretold; +neither shall I fear the fulfilment thereof." + +Brynhild answered, and said, "Too late thou tellest me that my +grief grieved thee: little pity shall I find now." + +Sigurd said, "This my heart would, that thou and I should go into +one bed together; even so wouldst thou be my wife." + +Said Brynhild, "Such words may nowise be spoken, nor will I have +two kings in one hall; I will lay my life down rather than +beguile Gunnar the King." + +And therewith she call to mind how they met, they two, on the +mountain, and swore oath each to each. + +"But now is all changed and I will not live." + +"I might not call to mind thy name," said Sigurd, "or know time +again, before the time of thy wedding; the greatest of all griefs +is that." + +Then said Brynhild, "I swore an oath to wed the man who should +ride my flaming fire, and that oath will I hold to, or die." + +"Rather than thou die, I will wed thee, and put away Gudrun." +said Sigurd. + +But therewithal so swelled the heart betwixt the sides of him, +that the rings of his byrny burst asunder. + +"I will not have thee," says Brynhild, "nay, nor any other!" + +Then Sigurd got him gone. + +So saith the song of Sigurd -- + + "Out then went Sigurd, + The great kings' well-loved, + From the speech and the sorrow, + Sore drooping, so grieving, + That the shirt round about him + Of iron tings woven, + From the sides brake asunder + Of the brave in the battle." + +So when Sigurd came into the hall, Gunnar asked if he had come to +a knowledge of what great grief lay heavy on her, or if she had +power of speech: and Sigurd said that she lacked it not. So now +Gunnar goes to her again, and asked her, what wrought her woe, or +if there were anything that might amend it. + +"I will not live," says Brynhild, "for Sigurd has bewrayed me, +yea, and thee no less, whereas thou didst suffer him to come into +my bed: lo thou, two men in one dwelling I will not have; and +this shall be Sigurd's death, or thy death, or my death; -- for +now has he told Gudrun all, and she is mocking me even now!" + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Sunder. + + + +CHAPTER XXX. +Of the Slaying of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane. + +Thereafter Brynhild went out, and sat under her bower-wall, and +had many words of wailing to say, and still she cried that all +things were loathsome to her, both land and lordship alike, so +she might not have Sigurd. + +But therewith came Gunnar to her yet again, and Brynhild spake, +"Thou shalt lose both realm and wealth, and thy life and me, for +I shall fare home to my kin, and abide there in sorrow, unless +thou slayest Sigurd and his son; never nourish thou a wolfcub." + +Gunnar grew sick at heart thereat, and might nowise see what +fearful thing lay beneath it all; he was bound to Sigurd by oath, +and this way and that way swung the heart within him; but at the +last he bethought him of the measureless shame if his wife went +from him, and he said within himself, "Brynhild is better to me +than all things else, and the fairest woman of all women, and I +will lay down my life rather than lose the love of her." And +herewith he called to him his brother and spake, -- + +"Trouble is heavy on me," and he tells him that he must needs +slay Sigurd, for that he has failed him where in he trusted him; +"so let us be lords of the gold and the realm withal." + +Hogni answers, "Ill it behoves us to break our oaths with wrack +and wrong, and withal great aid we have in him; no kings shall be +as great as we, if so be the King of the Hun-folk may live; such +another brother-in-law never may we get again; bethink thee how +good it is to have such a brother-in-law, and such sons to our +sister! But well I see how things stand, for this has Brynhild +stirred thee up to, and surely shall her counsel drag us into +huge shame and scathe." + +Gunnar says, "Yet shall it be brought about: and, lo, a rede +thereto; -- let us egg on our brother Guttorm to the deed; he is +young, and of little knowledge, and is clean out of all the oaths +moreover." + +"Ah, set about in ill wise," says Hogni, "and though indeed it +may well be compassed, a due reward shall we gain for the +bewrayal of such a man as is Sigurd." + +Gunnar says, "Sigurd shall die, or I shall die." + +And therewith he bids Brynhild arise and be glad at heart: so she +arose, and still ever she said that Gunnar should come no more +into her bed till the deed was done. + +So the brothers fall to talk, and Gunnar says that it is a deed +well worthy of death, that taking of Brynhild's maidenhead; "So +come now, let us prick on Guttorm to do the deed." + +Therewith they call him to them, and offer him gold and great +dominion, as they well have might to do. Yea, and they took a +certain worm and somewhat of wolf's flesh and let seethe them +together, and gave him to eat of the same, even as the singer +sings -- + + "Fish of the wild-wood, + Worm smooth crawling, + With wolf-meat mingled, + They minced for Guttorm; + Then in the beaker, + In the wine his mouth knew, + They set it, still doing + More deeds of wizards. + +Wherefore with the eating of this meat he grew so wild and eager, +and with all things about him, and with the heavy words of +Grimhild, that he gave his word to do the deed; and mighty honour +they promised him in reward thereof. + +But of these evil wiles naught at all knew Sigurd, for he might +not deal with his shapen fate, nor the measure of his life-days, +neither deemed he that he was worthy such things at their hands. + +So Guttorm went in to Sigurd the next morning as he lay upon his +bed, yet durst he not do aught against him, but shrank back out +again; yea, and even so he fared a second time, for so bright and +eager were the eyes of Sigurd that few durst look upon him. But +the third time he went in, and there lay Sigurd asleep; then +Guttorm drew his sword and thrust Sigurd through in such wise +that the sword point smote into the bed beneath him; then Sigurd +awoke with that wound, and Guttorm gat him unto the door; but +therewith Sigurd caught up the sword Gram, and cast it after him, +and it smote him on the back, and struck him asunder in the +midst, so that the feet of him fell one way, and the head and +hands back into the chamber. + +Now Gudrun lay asleep on Sigurd's bosom, but she woke up unto woe +that may not be told of, all swimming in the blood of him, and in +such wise did she bewail her with weeping and words of sorrow, +that Sigurd rose up on the bolster, and spake. + +"Weep not," said he, "for thy brothers live for thy delight; but +a young son have I, too young to be ware of his foes; and an ill +turn have these played against their own fortune; for never will +they get a mightier brother-in-law to ride abroad with them; nay, +nor a better son to their sister, than this one, if he may grow +to man's estate. Lo, now is that come to pass which was foretold +me long ago, but from mine eyes has it been hidden, for none may +fight against his fate and prevail. Behold this has Brynhild +brought to pass, even she who loves me before all men; but this +may I swear, that never have I wrought ill to Gunnar, but rather +have ever held fast to my oath with him, nor was I ever too much +a friend to his wife. And now if I had been forewarned, and had +been afoot with my weapons, then should many a man have lost his +life or ever I had fallen, and all those brethren should have +been slain, and a harder work would the slaying of me have been +than the slaying of the mightiest bull or the mightiest boar of +the wild-wood." + +And even therewithal life left the King; but Gudrun moaned and +drew a weary breath, and Brynhild heard it and laughed when she +heard her moaning. + +Then said Gunnar, "Thou laughest not because thy heart-roots are +gladdened, or else why doth thy visage wax so wan? Sure an evil +creature thou art; most like thou art nigh to thy death! Lo now, +how meet would it be for thee to behold thy brother Atli slain +before thine eyes, and that thou shouldst stand over him dead; +whereas we must needs now stand over our brother-in-law in such a +case our brother-in-law and our brother's bane." + +She answered, "None need mock at the measure of slaughter being +unfulfilled; yet heedeth not Atli your wrath or your threats; +yea, he shall live longer than ye, and be a mightier man." + +Hogni spake and said, "Now hath come to pass the soothsaying of +Brynhild; an ill work not to be atoned for." + +And Gudrun said, "My kinsmen have slain my husband; but ye, when +ye next ride to the war and are come into the battle, then shall +ye look about and see that Sigurd is neither on the fight hand +nor the left, and ye shall know that he was your good-hap and +your strength; and if he had lived and had sons, then should ye +have been strengthened by his offspring and his kin." + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. +Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd's dead, as it is told +told in ancient Songs. (1) + + Gudrun of old days + Drew near to dying + As she sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Yet she sighed not + Nor smote hand on hand, + Nor wailed she aught + As other women. + + Then went earls to her. + Full of all wisdom, + Fain help to deal + To her dreadful heart: + Hushed was Gudrun + Of wail, or greeting, + But with a heavy woe + Was her heart a-breaking. + + Bright and fair + Sat the great earls' brides, + Gold arrayed + Before Gudrun; + Each told the tale + Of her great trouble, + The bitterest bale + She erst abode. + + Then spake Giaflaug, + Giuki's sister: + "Lo upon earth + I live most loveless + Who of five mates + Must see the ending, + Of daughters twain + And three sisters, + Of brethren eight, + And abide behind lonely." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail and greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Herborg + Queen of Hunland -- + "Crueller tale + Have I to tell of, + Of my seven sons + Down in the Southlands, + And the eighth man, my mate, + Felled in the death-mead. + + "Father and mother, + And four brothers, + On the wide sea + The winds and death played with; + The billows beat + On the bulwark boards. + + "Alone must I sing o'er them, + Alone must I array them, + Alone must my hands deal with + Their departing; + And all this was + In one season's wearing, + And none was left + For love or solace. + + "Then was I bound + A prey of the battle, + When that same season + Wore to its ending; + As a tiring may + Must I bind the shoon + Of the duke's high dame, + Every day at dawning. + + "From her jealous hate + Gat I heavy mocking, + Cruel lashes + She laid upon me, + Never met I + Better master + Or mistress worser + In all the wide world." + + Naught gat Gudrun + Of wail or greeting, + So heavy was she + For her dead husband, + So dreadful-hearted + For the King laid dead there. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter -- + "O foster-mother, + Wise as thou mayst be, + Naught canst thou better + The young wife's bale." + And she bade uncover + The dead King's corpse. + + She swept the sheet + Away from Sigurd, + And turned his cheek + Towards his wife's knees -- + "Look on thy loved one + Lay lips to his lips, + E'en as thou wert clinging + To thy king alive yet!" + + Once looked Gudrun -- + One look only, + And saw her lord's locks + Lying all bloody, + The great man's eyes + Glazed and deadly, + And his heart's bulwark + Broken by sword-edge. + + Back then sank Gudrun, + Back on the bolster, + Loosed was her head array, + Red did her cheeks grow, + And the rain-drops ran + Down over her knees. + + Then wept Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + So that the tears flowed + Through the pillow; + As the geese withal + That were in the homefield, + The fair fowls the may owned, + Fell a-screaming. + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter -- + "Surely knew I + No love like your love + Among all men, + On the mould abiding; + Naught wouldst thou joy in + Without or within doors, + O my sister, + Save beside Sigurd." + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter -- + "Such was my Sigurd + Among the sons of Giuki, + As is the king leek + O'er the low grass waxing, + Or a bright stone + Strung on band, + Or a pearl of price + On a prince's brow. + + "Once was I counted + By the king's warriors + Higher than any + Of Herjan's mays; + Now am I as little + As the leaf may be, + Amid wind-swept wood + Now when dead he lieth. + + I miss from my seat, + I miss from my bed, + My darling of sweet speech. + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + Wrought the sons of Giuki, + This sore sorrow, + Yea, for their sister, + Most sore sorrow. + + "So may your lands + Lie waste on all sides, + As ye have broken + Your bounden oaths! + Ne'er shalt thou, Gunnar, + The gold have joy of; + The dear-bought rings + Shall drag thee to death, + Whereon thou swarest + Oath unto Sigurd. + + Ah, in the days by-gone + Great mirth in the homefield + When my Sigurd + Set saddle on Grani, + And they went their ways + For the wooing of Brynhild! + An ill day, an ill woman, + And most ill hap!" + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter -- + "May the woman lack + Both love and children, + Who gained greeting + For thee, O Gudrun! + Who gave thee this morning + Many words!" + + Then spake Gullrond, + Giuki's daughter -- + "Hold peace of such words + Thou hated of all folk! + The bane of brave men + Hast thou been ever, + All waves of ill + Wash over thy mind, + To seven great kings + Hast thou been a sore sorrow, + And the death of good will + To wives and women." + + Then spake Brynhild, + Budli's daughter -- + "None but Atli + Brought bale upon us, + My very brother + Born of Budli. + + When we saw in the hall + Of the Hunnish people + The gold a-gleaming + On the kingly Giukings; + I have paid for that faring + Oft and Full, + And for the sight + That then I saw." + + By a pillar she stood + And strained its wood to her; + From the eyes of Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Flashed out fire, + And she snorted forth venom, + As the sore wounds she gazed on + Of the dead-slain Sigurd. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) This chapter is the Eddaic poem, called the first Lay of + Gudrun, inserted here by the translators. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. +Of the Ending of Brynhild. + +And now none might know for what cause Brynhild must bewail with +weeping for what she had prayed for with laughter: but she spake +-- + +"Such a dream I had, Gunnar, as that my bed was acold, and that +thou didst ride into the hands of thy foes: lo now, ill shall it +go with thee and all thy kin, O ye breakers of oaths; for on the +day thou slayedst him, dimly didst thou remember how thou didst +blend thy blood with the blood of Sigurd, and with an ill reward +hast thou rewarded him for all that he did well to thee; whereas +he gave unto thee to be the mightiest of men; and well was it +proven how fast he held to his oath sworn, when he came to me and +laid betwixt us the sharp-edged sword that in venom had been made +hard. All too soon did ye fall to working wrong against him and +against me, whenas I abode at home with my father, and had all +that I would, and had no will that any one of you should be any +of mine, as ye rode into our garth, ye three kings together; but +then Atli led me apart privily, and asked me if I would not have +him who rode Grani; yea, a man nowise like unto you; but in +those days I plighted myself to the son of King Sigmund and no +other; and lo, now, no better shall ye fare for the death of me." + +Then rose up Gunnar, and laid his arms about her neck, and +besought her to live and have wealth from him; and all others in +likewise letted her from dying; but she thrust them all from her, +and said that it was not the part of any to let her in that which +was her will. + +Then Gunnar called to Hogni, and prayed him for counsel, and bade +him go to her, and see if he might perchance soften her dreadful +heart, saying withal, that now they had need enough on their +hands in the slaking of her grief, till time might get over. + +But Hogni answered, "Nay, let no man hinder her from dying; for +no gain will she be to us, nor has she been gainsome since she +came hither! + +Now she bade bring forth much gold, and bade all those come +thither who would have wealth: then she caught up a sword, and +thrust it under her armpit, and sank aside upon the pillows, and +said, "Come, take gold whoso will!" + +But all held their peace, and she said, "Take the gold, and be +glad thereof!" + +And therewith she spake unto Gunnar, "Now for a little while will +I tell of that which shall come to pass hereafter; for speedily +shall ye be at one again with Gudrun by the rede of Grimhild the +Wise-wife; and the daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd shall be called +Swanhild, the fairest of all women born. Gudrun shall be given +to Atli, yet not with her good will. Thou shalt be fain to get +Oddrun, but that shall Atli forbid thee; but privily shall ye +meet, and much shall she love thee. Atli shall bewray thee, and +cast thee into a worm-close, and thereafter shall Atli and his +Sons be slain, and Gudrun shall be their slayer; and afterwards +shall the great waves bear her to the burg of King Jonakr, to +whom she shall bear sons of great fame: Swanhild shall be sent +from the land and given to King Jormunrek; and her shall bite the +rede of Bikki, and therewithal is the kin of you clean gone; and +more sorrow therewith for Gudrun. + +"And now I pray thee, Gunnar, one last boon. -- Let make a great +bale on the plain meads for all of us; for me and for Sigurd, and +for those who were slain with him, and let that be covered over +with cloth dyed red by the folk of the Gauls, (1) and burn me +thereon on one side of the King of the Huns, and on the other +those men of mine, two at the head and two at the feet, and two +hawks withal; and even so is all shared equally; and lay there +betwixt us a drawn sword, as in the other days when we twain +stepped into one bed together; and then may we have the name of +man and wife, nor shall the door swing to at the heel of him as I +go behind him. Nor shall that be a niggard company if there +follow him those five bond-women and eight bondmen, whom my +father gave me, and those burn there withal who were slain with +Sigurd. + +"Now more yet would I say, but for my wounds, but my life-breath +flits; the wounds open, -- yet have I said sooth." + +Now is the dead corpse of Sigurd arrayed in olden wise, and a +mighty bale is raised, and when it was somewhat kindled, there +was laid thereon the dead corpse of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and his +son of three winters whom Brynhild had let slay, and Guttorm +withal; and when the bale was all ablaze, thereunto was Brynhild +borne out, when she had spoken with her bower-maidens, and bid +them take the gold that she would give; and then died Brynhild, +and was burned there by the side of Sigurd, and thus their life- +days ended. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) The original has "raudu manna blodi", red-dyed in the blood + of men; the Sagaman's original error in dealing with the + word "Valaript" in the corresponding passage of the short + lay of Sigurd. -- Tr. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. +Gudrun wedded to Alii. + +Now so it is, that whoso heareth these tidings sayeth, that no +such an one as was Sigurd was left behind him in the world, nor +ever was such a man brought forth because of all the worth of +him, nor may his name ever minish by eld in the Dutch Tongue nor +in all the Northern Lands, while the world standeth fast. + +The story tells that, on a day, as Gudrun sat in her bower, she +fell to saying, "Better was life in those days when I had Sigurd; +he who was far above other men as gold is above iron, or the leek +over other grass of the field, or the hart over other wild +things; until my brethren begrudged me such a man, the first and +best of all men; and so they might not sleep or they had slain +him. Huge clamour made Grani when he saw his master and lord +sore wounded, and then I spoke to him even as with a man, but he +fell drooping down to the earth, for he knew that Sigurd was +slain." + +Thereafter Gudrun gat her gone into the wild woods, and heard on +all ways round about her the howling of wolves, and deemed death +a merrier thing than life. Then she went till she came to the +hall of King Alf, and sat there in Denmark with Thora, the +daughter of Hakon, for seven seasons, and abode with good +welcome. And she set forth her needlework before her and did +thereinto many deeds and great, and fair plays after the fashion +of those days, swords and byrnies, and all the gear of kings, and +the ship of King Sigmund sailing along the land; yea, and they +wrought there how they fought, Sigar and Siggeir, south in Fion. +Such was their disport; and now Gudrun was somewhat solaced of +her grief. + +So Grimhild comes to hear where Gudrun has take up her abode, and +she calls her sons to talk with her, and asks whether they will +make atonement to Gudrun for her son and her husband, and said +that it was but meet and right to do so. + +Then Gunnar spake, and said that he would atone for her sorrows +with gold. + +So they send for their friends, and array their horses, their +helms, and their shields, and their byrnies, and all their war- +gear; and their journey was furnished forth in the noblest wise, +and no champion who was of the great men might abide at home; and +their horses were clad in mail-coats, and every knight of them +had his helm done over with gold or with silver. + +Grimhild was of their company, for she said that their errand +would never be brought fairly to pass if she sat at home. + +There were well five hundred men, and noble men rode with them. +There was Waldemar of Denmark, and Eymod and Jarisleif withal. +So they went into the hall of King Alf, and there abode them the +Longbeards and Franks, and Saxons: they fared with all their war- +gear, and had over them red fur-coats. Even as the song says -- + + "Byrnies short cut, + Strong helms hammered, + Girt with good swords, + Red hair gleaming." + +They were fain to choose good gifts for their sister, and spake +softly to her, but in none of them would she trow. Then Gunnar +brought unto her a drink mingled with hurtful things, and this +she must needs drink, and with the king thereof she had no more +memory of their guilt against her. + +But in that drink was blended the might of the earth and the sea +with the blood of her son; and in that horn were all letters cut +and reddened with blood, as is said hereunder -- + + "On the horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that beer were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood + And brown-burnt acorns, + The black dew of the hearth, + The God-doomed dead beast's inwards, + And the swine's liver sodden + Because all wrongs that deadens. + +And so now, when their hearts are-brought anigh to each other, +great cheer they made: then came Grimhild to Gudrun, and spake. + +"All hail to thee, daughter! I give thee gold and all kinds of +good things to take to thee after thy father, dear bought rings +and bed-gear of the maids of the Huns, the most courteous and +well dight of all women; and thus is thy husband atoned for: and +thereafter shalt thou be given to Atli, the mighty king, and be +mistress of all his might. Cast not all thy friends aside for +one man's sake, but do according to our bidding." + +Gudrun answers, "Never will I wed Atli the King; unseemly it is +for us to get offspring betwixt us." + +Grimhild says, "Nourish not thy wrath; it shall be to thee as if +Sigurd and Sigmund were alive when thou hast borne sons." + +Gudrun says, "I cannot take my heart from thoughts of him, for he +was the first of all men." + +Grimhild says, "So it is shapen that thou must have this king and +none else." + +Says Gudrun, "Give not this man to me, for an evil thing shall +come upon thy kin from him, and to his own sons shall he deal +evil, and be rewarded with a grim revenge thereafter." + +Then waxed Grimhild fell at those words, and spake, "Do even as +we bid thee, and take therefore great honour, and our friendship, +and the steads withal called Vinbjorg and Valbjorg." + +And such might was in the words of her, that even so must it come +to pass. + +Then Gudrun spake, "Thus then must it needs befall, howsoever +against the will of me, and for little joy shall it be and for +great grief." + +Then men leaped on their horses, and their women were set in +wains. So they fared four days a-riding and other four +a-shipboard, and yet four more again by land and road, till at +the last they came to a certain high-built hall; then came to +meet Gudrun many folk thronging; and an exceedingly goodly feast +was there made, even as the word had gone between either kin, and +it passed forth in most proud and stately wise. And at that +feast drinks Atli his bridal with Gudrun, but never did her heart +laugh on him, and little sweet and kind was their life together. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. +Atli bids the Giukings to him. + +Now tells the tale that on a night King Atli woke from sleep and +spake to Gudrun -- + +"Medreamed," said he, "that thou didst thrust me through with a +sword." + +Then Gudrun areded the dream, and said that it betokened fire, +whenas folk dreamed of iron. "It befalls of thy pride belike, in +that thou deemest thyself the first of men," + +Atli said, "Moreover I dreamed that here waxed two sorb-tree (1) +saplings, and fain I was that they should have no scathe of me; +then these were riven up by the roots and reddened with blood, +and borne to the bench, and I was bidden eat thereof. + +"Yea, yet again I dreamed that two hawks flew from my hand hungry +and unfed, and fared to hell, and meseemed their hearts were +mingled with honey, and that I ate thereof. + +"And then again I dreamed that two fair whelps lay before me +yelling aloud, and that the flesh of them I ate, though my will +went not with the eating." + +Gudrun says, "Nowise good are these dreams, yet shall they come +to pass; surely thy sons are nigh to death, and many heavy things +shall fall upon us." + +"Yet again I dreamed," said he, "and methought I lay in a bath, +and folk took counsel to slay me." + +Now these things wear away with time, but in nowise was their +life together fond. + +Now falls Atli to thinking of where may be gotten that plenteous +gold which Sigurd had owned, but King Gunnar and his brethren +were lords thereof now. + +Atli was a great king and mighty, wise, and a lord of many men; +and now he falls to counsel with his folk as to the ways of them. +He wotted well that Gunnar and his brethren had more wealth than +any others might have, and so he falls to the rede of sending men +to them, and bidding them to a great feast, and honouring them in +diverse wise, and the chief of those messengers was hight Vingi. + +Now the queen wots of their conspiring, and misdoubts her that +this would mean some beguiling of her brethren: so she cut runes, +and took a gold ring, and knit therein a wolf's hair, and gave it +into the hands of the king's messengers. + +Thereafter they go their ways according to the king's bidding: +and or ever they came aland Vingi beheld the runes, and turned +them about in such wise as if Gudrun prayed her brethren in her +runes to go meet King Atli. + +Thereafter they came to the hall of King Gunnar, and had good +welcome at his hands, and great fires were made for them, and in +great joyance they drank of the best of drink. + +Then spake Vingi, "King Atli sends me hither, and is fain that ye +go to his house and home in all glory, and take of him exceeding +honours, helms and shields, swords and byrnies, gold and goodly +raiment, horses, hosts of war, and great and wide lands, for, +saith he, he is fainest of all things to bestow his realm and +lordship upon you." + +Then Gunnar turned his head aside, and spoke to Hogni -- + +"In what wise shall we take this bidding? Might and wealth he +bids us take; but no kings know I who have so much gold as we +have, whereas we have all the hoard which lay once on Gnitaheath; +and great are our chambers, and full of gold, and weapons for +smiting, and all kinds of raiment of war, and well I wot that +amidst all men my horse is the best, and my sword the sharpest +and my gold the most glorious." + +Hogni answers, "A marvel is it to me of his bidding, for seldom +hath he done in such a wise, and ill counselled will it be to +wend to him; lo now, when I saw those dear-bought things the king +sends us I wondered to behold a wolfs hair knit to a certain gold +ring; belike Gudrun deems him to be minded as a wolf towards us, +and will have naught of our faring." + +But withal Vingi shows him the runes which he said Gudrun had +sent. + +Now the most of folk go to bed, but these drank on still with +certain others; and Kostbera, the wife of Hogni, the fairest of +women, came to them, and looked on the runes. + +But the wife of Gunnar was Glaumvor, a great hearted wife. + +So these twain poured out, and the kings drank and were exceeding +drunken, and Vingi notes it, and says -- + +"Naught may I hide that King Atli is heavy of foot and over-old +for the warding of his realm; but his sons are young and of no +account: now will he give you rule over his realms while they are +yet thus young, and most fain will he be that ye have the joy +thereof before all others." + +Now so it befell both that Gunnar was drunk, and that dominion +was held out to him, nor might he work against the fate shapen +for him; so he gave his word to go, and tells Hogni his brother +thereof. + +But he answered, "Thy word given must even stand now, nor will I +fail to follow thee, but most loth am I to journey." + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Service-tree; "pyrus sorbus domestica", or "p. s. + tormentalis. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. +The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings. + +So when men had drunk their fill, they fared to sleep; then falls +Kostbera to beholding the runes, and spelling over the letters, +and sees that beneath were other things cut, and that the runes +are guileful, yet because of her wisdom she had skill to read +them aright. So then she goes to bed by her husband; but when +they awoke, she spake unto Hogni -- + +"Thou art minded to wend away from home -- ill-counselled is +that; abide till another time! Scarce a keen reader of runes art +thou, if thou deemest thou hast beheld in them the bidding of thy +sister to this journey: lo, I read them the runes, and had marvel +of so wise a woman as Gudrun is, that she should have miscut +them; but that which lieth underneath beareth your bane with it, +-- yea, either she lacked a letter, or others have dealt +guilefully with the runes. + +"And now hearken to my dream; for therein methought there fell in +upon us here a river exceeding strong, and brake up the timbers +of the hall." + +He answered, "Full oft are ye evil of mind, ye women, but for me, +I was not made in such wise as to meet men with evil who deserve +no evil; belike he will give us good welcome." + +She answered, "Well, the thing must ye yourselves prove, but no +friendship follows this bidding: -- but yet again I dreamed that +another river fell in here with a great and grimly rush, and tore +up the dais of the hall, and brake the legs of both you brethren; +surely that betokeneth somewhat." + +He answers, "Meadows along our way, whereas thou didst dream of +the river; for when we go through the meadows, plentifully doth +the seeds of the hay hang about our legs." + +"Again I dreamed," she says, "that thy cloak was afire, and that +the flame blazed up above the hall." + +Says he, "Well, I wot what that shall betoken; here lieth my +fair-dyed raiment, and it shall burn and blaze, whereas thou +dreamedst of the cloak." + +"Methought a bear came in," she says, "and brake up the king's +high-seat, and shook his paws in such a wise that we were all +adrad thereat, and he gat us all together into the mouth of him, +so that we might avail us naught, and thereof fell great horror +on us." + +He answered, "Some great storm will befall, whereas thou hadst a +white bear in thy mind." + +"An erne methought came in," she says, "and swept adown the hall, +and drenched me and all of us with blood, and ill shall that +betoken, for methought it was the double of King Atli." + +He answered, "Full oft do we slaughter beasts freely, and smite +down great neat for our cheer, and the dream of the erne has but +to do with oxen; yea, Atli is heart-whole toward us." + +And therewithal they cease this talk. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. +Of the Journey of the Giukings to King Atli. + +Now tells the tale of Gunnar, that in the same wise it fared with +him; for when they awoke, Glaumvor his wife told him many dreams +which seemed to her like to betoken guile coming; but Gunnar +areded them all in other wise. + +"This was one of them," said she; "methought a bloody sword was +borne into the hall here, wherewith thou wert thrust through, and +at either end of that wolves howled." + +The king answered, "Our dogs shall bite me belike; blood-stained +weapons oft betoken dogs' snappings." + +She said, "Yet again I dreamed -- that women came in, heavy and +drooping, and chose thee for their mate; may-happen these would +be thy fateful women." + +He answered, "Hard to arede is this, and none may set aside the +fated measure of his days, nor is it unlike that my time is +short." (1) + +So in the morning they arose, and were minded for the journey, +but some letted them herein. + +Then cried Gunnar to the man who is called Fjornir -- + +"Arise, and give us to drink goodly wine from great tuns, because +may happen this shall be very last of all our feasts; belike if +we die the old wolf shall come by the gold, and that bear shall +nowise spare the bite of his war-tusks." + +Then all the folk of his household brought them on their way +weeping. + +The son of Hogni said -- + +"Fare ye well with merry tide." + +The more part of their folk were left behind; Solar and Gnoevar, +the sons of Hogni, fared with them, and a great champion, named +Orkning, who was the brother of Kostbera. + +So folk followed them down to the ships, and all fetted them of +their journey, but attained to naught therein. + +Then spake Glaumvor, and said -- + +"O Vingi, most like that great ill hap will come of thy coming, +and mighty and evil things shall betide in thy travelling." + +He answered, "Hearken to my answer; that I lie not aught: and may +the high gallows and all things of grame have me, if I lie one +word!" + +Then cried Kostbera, "Fare ye well with merry days." + +And Hogni answered, "Be glad of heart, howsoever it may fare with +us!" + +And therewith they parted, each to their own fate. Then away +they rowed, so hard and fast, that well-nigh the half of the keel +slipped away from the ship, and so hard they laid on to the oars +that thole and gunwale brake. + +But when they came aland they made their ship fast, and then they +rode awhile on their noble steeds through the murk wild-wood. + +And now they behold the king's army, and huge uproar, and the +clatter of weapons they hear from thence; and they see there a +mighty host of men, and the manifold array of them, even as they +wrought there: and all the gates of the burg were full of men. + +So they rode up to the burg, and the gates thereof were shut; +then Hogni brake open the gates, and therewith they ride into the +burg. + +Then spake Vingi, "Well might ye have left this deed undone; go +to now, bide ye here while I go seek your gallows-tree! Softly +and sweetly I base you hither, but an evil thing abode +thereunder; short while to bide ere ye are tied up to that same +tree!" + +Hogni answered, "None the more shall we waver for that cause; for +little methinks have we shrunk aback whenas men fell to fight; +and naught shall it avail thee to make us afeard, -- and for an +ill fate hast thou wrought." + +And therewith they cast him down to earth, and smote him with +their axe-hammers till he died. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Parallel beliefs to those in the preceding chapters, and + elsewhere in this book, as to spells, dreams, drinks, etc., + among the English people may be found in "Leechdoms, + Wortcunning, and Starcraft of the Anglo-Saxons; being a + collection of Documents illustrating the History of Science + in this Country before the Norman Conquest". Ed: Rev. T. O. + Cockayne, M.A. (3 vols.) Longmans, London, 1864, 8vo. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. +The Battle in the Burg of King Atli. + +Then they rode unto the king's hall, and King Atli arrayed his +host for battle, and the ranks were so set forth that a certain +wall there was betwixt them and the brethren. + +"Welcome hither," said he. "Deliver unto me that plenteous gold +which is mine of right; even the wealth which Sigurd once owned, +and which is now Gudrun's of right." + +Gunnar answered, "Never gettest thou that wealth; and men of +might must thou meet here, or ever we lay by life if thou wilt +deal with us in battle; ah, belike thou settest forth this feast +like a great man, and wouldst not hold thine hand from erne and +wolf!" + +"Long ago I had it in my mind," said Atli, to take the lives of +you, and be lord of the gold, and reward you for that deed of +shame, wherein ye beguiled the best of all your affinity; but now +shall I revenge him." + +Hogni answered, "Little will it avail to lie long brooding over +that rede, leaving the work undone." + +And therewith they fell to hard fighting, at the first brunt with +shot. + +But therewithal came the tidings to Gudrun, and when she heard +thereof she grew exceeding wroth, and cast her mantle from her, +and ran out and greeted those new-comers, and kissed her +brethren, and showed them all love, -- and the last of all +greetings was that betwixt them. + +Then said she, "I thought I had set forth counsel whereby ye +should not come hither, but none may deal with his shapen fate." +And withal she said, "Will it avail aught to seek for peace?" + +But stoutly and grimly they said nay thereto. So she sees that +the game goeth sorely against her brethren, and she gathers to +her great stoutness of heart, and does on her a mail-coat and +takes to her a sword, and fights by her brethren, and goes as far +forward as the bravest of man-folk; and all spoke in one wise +that never saw any fairer defence than in her. + +Now the men fell thick, and far before all others was the +fighting of those brethren, and the battle endured a long while +unto midday; Gunnar and Hogni went right through the folk of +Atli, and so tells the tale that all the mead ran red with blood; +the sons of Hogni withal set on stoutly. + +Then spake Atli the king, "A fair host and a great have we, and +mighty champions withal, and yet have many of us fallen, and but +evil am I apaid in that nineteen of my champions are slain, and +but left six alive." + +And therewithal was there a lull in the battle. + +Then spake Atli the king, "Four brethren were we, and now am I +left alone; great affinity I gat to me, and deemed my fortune +well sped thereby; a wife I had, fair and wise, high of mind, and +great of heart; but no joyance may I have of her wisdom, for +little peace is betwixt us, -- but ye -- ye have slain many of my +kin, and beguiled me of realm and riches, and for the greatest of +all woes have slain my sister withal." + +Quoth Hogni, "Why babblest thou thus? Thou wert the first to +break the peace. Thou didst take my kinswoman and pine her to +death by hunger, and didst murder her, and take her wealth; an +ugly deed for a king! -- meet for mocking and laughter I deem it, +that thou must needs make long tale of thy woes; rather will I +give thanks to the Gods that thou fallest into ill." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. +Of the slaying of the Giukings. + +Now King Atli eggs on his folk to set on fiercely, and eagerly +they fight; but the Giukings fell on so hard that King Atli gave +back into the hall, and within doors was the fight, and fierce +beyond all fights. + +That battle was the death of many a man, but such was the ending +thereof, that there fell all the folk of those brethren, and they +twain alone stood up on their feet, and yet many more must fare +to hell first before their weapons. + +And now they fell on Gunnar the king, and because of the host of +men that set on him was hand laid on him, and he was cast into +fetters; afterwards fought Hogni, with the stoutest heart and the +greatest manlihood; and he felled to earth twenty of the stoutest +of the champions of King Atli, and many he thrust into the fire +that burnt amidst the hall, and all were of one accord that such +a man might scarce be seen; yet in the end was he borne down by +many and taken. + +Then said King Atli, "A marvellous thing how many men have gone +their ways before him! Cut the heart from out of him, and let +that be his bane!" + +Hogni said, "Do according to thy will; merrily will I abide +whatso thou writ do against me; and thou shalt see that my heart +is not adrad, for hard matters have I made trial of ere now, and +all things that may try a man was I fain to bear, whiles yet I +was unhurt; but now sorely am I hurt, and thou alone henceforth +will bear mastery in our dealings together." + +Then spake a counsellor of King Atli, "Better rede I see thereto; +take we the thrall Hjalli, and give respite to Hogni; for this +thrall is made to die, since the longer he lives the less worth +shall he be." + +The thrall hearkened, and cried out aloft, and fled away +anywhither where he might hope for shelter, crying out that a +hard portion was his because of their strife and wild doings, and +an ill day for him whereon he must be dragged to death from his +sweet life and his swine-keeping. But they caught him, and +turned a knife against him, and he yelled and screamed or ever he +felt the point thereof. + +Then in such wise spake Hogni as a man seldom speaketh who is +fallen into hard need, for he prayed for the thrall's life, and +said that these shrieks he could not away with, and that it were +a lesser matter to him to play out the play to the end; and +therewithal the thrall gat his life as for that time: but Gunnar +and Hogni are both laid in fetters. + +Then spake King Atli with Gunnar the king, and bade him tell out +concerning the gold, and where it was, if he would have his life. + +But he answered, "Nay, first will I behold the bloody heart of +Hogni, my brother." + +So now they caught hold of the thrall again, and cut the heart +from out of him, and bore it unto King Gunnar, but he said -- + +"The faint heart of Hjalli may ye here behold, little like the +proud heart of Hogni, for as much as it trembleth now more by the +half it trembled whenas it lay in the breast of him." + +So now they fell on Hogni even as Atli urged them, and cut the +heart from out of him, but such was the might of his manhood, +that he laughed while he abode that torment, and all wondered at +his worth, and in perpetual memory is it held sithence. (1) + +Then they showed it to Gunnar, and he said -- + +"The mighty heart of Hogni, little like the faint heart of +Hjalli, for little as it trembleth now, less it trembled whenas +in his breast it lay! But now, O Atli, even as we die so shalt +thou die; and lo, I alone wot where the gold is, nor shall Hogni +be to tell thereof now; to and fro played the matter in my mind +whiles we both lived, but now have I myself determined for +myself, and the Rhine river shall rule over the gold, rather than +that the Huns shall bear it on the hands of them." + +Then said King Atli, "Have away the bondsman;" and so they did. + +But Gudrun called to her men, and came to Atli, and said -- + +"May it fare ill with thee now and from henceforth, even as thou +hast ill held to thy word with me!" + +So Gunnar was cast into a worm-close, and many worms abode him +there, and his hands were fast bound; but Gudrun sent him a harp, +and in such wise did he set forth his craft, that wisely he smote +the harp, smiting it with his foes, and so excellently well he +played, that few deemed they had heard such playing, even when +the hand had done it. And with such might and power he played, +that all worms fell asleep in the end, save one adder only, great +and evil of aspect, that crept unto him and thrust its sting into +him until it smote his heart; and in such wise with great +hardihood he ended his life days. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Since ("sidh", after, and "dham", that.). + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. +The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk. + +Now thought Atli the King that he had gained a mighty victory, +and spake to Gudrun even as mocking her greatly, or as making +himself great before her. "Gudrun," saith he, "thus hast thou +lost thy brethren, and thy very self hast brought it about." + +She answers, "In good liking livest thou, whereas thou thrustest +these slayings before me, but mayhappen thou wilt rue it, when +thou hast tried what is to come hereafter; and of all I have, the +longest-lived matter shall be the memory of thy cruel heart, nor +shall it go well with thee whiles I live." + +He answered and said, "Let there be peace betwixt us; I will +atone for thy brethren with gold and dear-bought things, even as +thy heart may wish." + +She answers, "Hard for a long while have I been in our dealings +together, and now I say, that while Hogni was yet alive thou +mightest have brought it to pass; but now mayest thou never atone +for my brethren in my heart; yet oft must we women be overborne +by the might of you men; and now are all my kindred dead and +gone, and thou alone art left to rule over me: wherefore now this +is my counsel that we make a great feast; wherein I will hold the +funeral of my brother and of thy kindred withal." + +In such wise did she make herself soft and kind in words, though +far other things forsooth lay thereunder, but he hearkened to her +gladly, and trusted in her words, whereas she made herself sweet +of speech. + +So Gudrun held the funeral feast for her brethren, and King Atli +for his men, and exceeding proud and great was this feast. + +But Gudrun forgat not her woe, but brooded over it, how she might +work some mighty shame against the king; and at nightfall she +took to her the sons of King Atli and her as they played about +the floor; the younglings waxed heavy of cheer, and asked what +she would with them. + +"Ask me not," she said; "ye shall die, the twain of you!" + +Then they answered, "Thou mayest do with thy children even as +thou wilt, nor shall any hinder thee, but shame there is to thee +in the doing of this deed." + +Yet for all that she cut the throats of them. + +Then the king asked where his sons were, and Gudrun answered, "I +will tell thee, and gladden thine heart by the telling; lo now, +thou didst make a great woe spring up for me in the slaying of my +brethren; now hearken and hear my rede and my deed; thou hast +lost thy sons, and their heads are become beakers on the board +here, and thou thyself hast drunken the blood of them blended +with wine; and their hearts I took and roasted them on a spit, +and thou hast eaten thereof." + +King Atli answered, "Grim art thou in that thou hast murdered thy +sons, and given me their flesh to eat, and little space passes +betwixt ill deed of thine and ill deed." + +Gudrun said, "My heart is set on the doing to thee of as great +shame as may be; never shall the measure ill be of full to such a +king as thou art." + +The king said, "Worser deeds hast thou done than men have to tell +of, and great unwisdom is there in such fearful redes; most meet +art thou to be burned on bale when thou hast first been smitten +to death with stones, for in such wise wouldst thou have what +thou hast gone a weary way to seek." + +She answered, "Thine own death thou foretellest, but another +death is fated for me." + +And many other words they spake in their wrath. + +Now Hogni had a son left alive, hight Niblung, and great wrath of +heart he bare against King Atli; and he did Gudrun to wit that he +would avenge his father. And she took his words well, and they +fell to counsel together thereover, and she said it would be +great goodhap if it might be brought about. + +So on a night, when the king had drunken, he gat him in bed, and +when he was laid asleep, thither to him came Gudrun and the son +of Hogni. + +Gudrun took a sword and thrust it through the breast of King +Atli, and they both of them set their hands to the deed, both she +and the son of Hogni. + +Then Atli the king awoke with the wound, and cried out; "No need +of binding or salving here! -- who art thou who hast done the +deed?" + +Gudrun says, "Somewhat have I, Gudrun, wrought therein, and +somewhat withal the son of Hogni." + +Atli said, "Ill it beseemed to thee to do this, though somewhat +of wrong was between us; for thou wert wedded to me by the rede +of thy kin, and dower paid I for thee; yea, thirty goodly +knights, and seemly maidens, and many men besides; and yet wert +thou not content, but if thou should rule over the lands King +Budli owned: and thy mother-in-law full oft thou lettest sit +a-weeping." + +Gudrun said, "Many false words hast thou spoken, and of naught I +account them; oft, indeed, was I fell of mood, but much didst +thou add thereto. Full oft in this thy house did frays befall, +and kin fought kin, and friend fought friend, and made themselves +big one against the other; better days had I whenas I abode with +Sigurd, when we slew kings, and took their wealth to us, but gave +peace to whomso would, and the great men laid themselves under +our hands, and might we gave to him of them who would have it; +then I lost him, and a little thing was it that I should bear a +widow's name, but the greatest of griefs that I should come to +thee -- I who had aforetime the noblest of all kings, while for +thee, thou never barest out of the battle aught but the worser +lot." + +King Atli answered, "Naught true are thy words, nor will this our +speech better the lot of either of us, for all is fallen now to +naught; but now do to me in seemly wise, and array my dead corpse +in noble fashion." + +"Yea, that will I," she says, "and let make for thee a goodly +grave, and build for thee a worthy abiding place of stone, and +wrap thee in fair linen, and care for all that needful is." + +So therewithal he died, and she did according to her word: and +then they cast fire into the hall. + +And when the folk and men of estate awoke amid that dread and +trouble, naught would they abide the fire, but smote each the +other down, and died in such wise; so there Atli the king, and +all his folk, ended their life-days. But Gudrun had no will to +live longer after this deed so wrought, but nevertheless her +ending day was not yet come upon her. + +Now the Volsungs and the Giukings, as folk tell in tale, have +been the greatest-hearted and the mightiest of all men, as ye may +well behold written in the songs of old time. + +But now with the tidings just told were these troubles stayed. + + + +CHAPTER XL. +How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore +again. + +Gudrun had a daughter by Sigurd hight Swanhild; she was the +fairest of all women, eager-eyed as her father, so that few durst +look under the brows of her; and as far did she excel other +woman-kind as the sun excels the other lights of heaven. + +But on a day went Gudrun down to the sea, and caught up stones in +her arms, and went out into the sea, for she had will to end her +life. But mighty billows drave her forth along the sea, and by +means of their upholding was she borne along till she came at the +last to the burg of King Jonakr, a mighty king, and lord of many +folk. And he took Gudrun to wife, and their children were +Hamdir, and Sorli, and Erp; and there was Swanhild nourished +withal. + + + +CHAPTER XLI. +Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild. + +Jormunrek was the name of a mighty king of those days, and his +son was called Randver. Now this king called his son to talk +with him, and said, "Thou shalt fair on an errand of mine to King +Jonakr, with my counsellor Bikki, for with King Jonakr is +nourished Swanhild, the daughter of Sigurd Fafnir's-bane; and I +know for sure that she is the fairest may dwelling under the sun +of this world; her above all others would I have to my wife, and +thou shalt go woo her for me" + +Randver answered, "Meet and right, fair lord, that I should go on +thine errands." + +So the king set forth this journey in seemly wise, and they fare +till they come to King Jonakr's abode, and behold Swanhild, and +have many thoughts concerning the treasure of her goodliness. + +But on a day Randver called the king to talk with him, and said, +"Jormunrek the King would fain be thy brother-in-law, for he has +heard tell of Swanhild, and his desire it is to have her to wife, +nor may it be shown that she may be given to any mightier man +than he is one." + +The King says, "This is an alliance of great honour, for a man of +fame he is." + +Gudrun says, "A wavering trust, the trust in luck that change +not!" + +Yet because of the king's furthering, and all the matters that +went herewith, is the wooing accomplished; and Swanhild went to +the ship with a goodly company, and sat in the stem beside the +king's son. + +Then spake Bikki to Randver, "How good and right it were if thou +thyself had to wife so lovely a woman rather than the old man +there." + +Good seemed that word to the heart of the king's son, and he +spake to her with sweet words, and she to him like wise. + +So they came aland and go unto the king, and Bikki said to him, +"Meet and right it is, lord, that thou shouldst know what is +befallen, though hard it be to tell of, for the tale must be +concerning thy beguiling, whereas thy son has gotten to him the +full love of Swanhild, nor is she other than his harlot; but +thou, let not the deed be unavenged." + +Now many an ill rede had he given the king or this, but of all +his ill redes did this sting home the most; and still would the +king hearken to all his evil redes; wherefore he, who might +nowise still the wrath within him, cried out that Randver should +be taken and tied up to the gallows-tree. + +And as he was led to the gallows he took his hawk and plucked the +feathers from off it, and bade show it to his father; and when +the king saw it, then he said, "Now may folk behold that he +deemeth my honour to be gone away from me, even as the feathers +of this hawk;" and therewith he bade deliver him from the +gallows. + +But in that while had Bikki wrought his will, and Randver was +dead-slain. + +Ane, moreover, Bikki spake, "Against none hast thou more wrongs +to avenge thee of than against Swanhild; let her die a shameful +death." + +"Yea," said the king, "we will do after thy counsel." + +So she was bound in the gate of the burg, and horse were driven +at her to tread her down; but when she opened her eyes wide, then +the horses durst not trample her; so when Bikki beheld that, he +bade draw a bag over the head of her; and they did so, and +therewith she lost her life. (1) + + +ENDNOTES +(1) In the prose Edda the slaying of Swanhild is a spontaneous + and sudden act on the part of the king. As he came back + from hunting one day, there sat Swanhild washing her linen, + and it came into the king's mind how that she was the cause + of all his woe, so he and his men rode over her and slew + her. -- Tr. + + + +CHAPTER XLII. +Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge 5wanhild. + +Now Gudrun heard of the slaying of Swanhild, and spake to her +sons, "Why sit ye here in peace amid many words, whereas +Jormunrek hath slain your sister, and trodden her under foot of +horses in shameful wise? No heart ye have in you like to Gunnar +or Hogni; verily they would have avenged their kinswoman!" + +Hamdir answered, "Little didst thou praise Gunnar and Hogni, +whereas they slew Sigurd, and thou wert reddened in the blood of +him, and ill were thy brethren avenged by the slaying of thine +own sons: yet not so ill a deed were it for us to slay King +Jormunrek, and so hard thou pushest on to this that we may naught +abide thy hard words." + +Gudrun went about laughing now, and gave them to drink from +mighty beakers, and thereafter she got for them great byrnies and +good, and all other weed (1) of war. + +Then spake Hamdir, "Lo now, this is our last parting, for thou +shalt hear tidings of us, and drink one grave-ale (2) over us and +over Swanhild." + +So therewith they went their ways. + +But Gudrun went unto her bower, with heart swollen with sorrow, +and spake -- + +"To three men was I wedded, and first to Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, +and he was bewrayed and slain, and of all griefs was that the +greatest grief. Then was I given to King Atli, and so fell was +my heart toward him that I slew in the fury of my grief his +children and mine. Then gave I myself to the sea, but the +billows thereof cast me out aland, and to this king then was I +given; then gave I Swanhild away out of the land with mighty +wealth; and lo, my next greatest sorrow after Sigurd, for under +horses feet was she trodden and slain; but the grimmest and +ugliest of woes was the casting of Gunnar into the Worm-close, +and the hardest was the cutting of Hogni's heart from him. + +"Ah, better would it be if Sigurd came to meet me, and I went my +ways with him, for here bideth now behind with me neither son nor +daughter to comfort me. Oh, mindest thou not, Sigurd, the words +we spoke when we went into one bed together, that thou wouldst +come and look on me; yea, even from thine abiding place among the +dead? + +And thus had the words of her sorrow an end. + + +ENDNOTE: +(1) Weed (A.S. "weodo"), clothing. +(2) Grave-ale, burial-feast. + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. +The Latter End of all the Kin of the Giukings. + +Now telleth the tale concerning the sons of Gudrun, that she had +arrayed their war-raiment in such wise, that no steel would bite +thereon; and she bade them play not with stones or other heavy +matters, for that it would be to their scathe if they did so. + +And now, as they went on their way, they met Erp, their brother, +and asked him in what wise he would help them. + +He answered, "Even as hand helps hand, or foot helps foot." + +But that they deemed naught at all, and slew him there and then. +Then they went their ways, nor was it long or ever Hamdir +stumbled, and thrust down his hand to steady himself, and spake +therewith -- + +"Naught but a true thing spake Erp, for now should I have fallen, +had not hand been to steady me." + + A little after Sorli stumbled, but turned about on his feet, and +so stood, and spake -- + +"Yea now had I fallen, but that I steadied myself with both +feet." + +And they said they had done evilly with Erp their brother. + +But on they fare till they come to the abode of King Jormunrek, +and they went up to him and set on him forthwith, and Hamdir cut +both hands from him and Sorli both feet. Then spake Hamdir -- + +"Off were the head if Erp were alive; our brother whom we slew on +the way, and found out our deed too late." Even as the Song +says, -- + + "Off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold, + Whom we slew by the way, + The well-famed in warfare." + +Now in this must they turn away from the words of their mother, +whereas they had to deal with stones. For now men fell on them, +and they defended themselves in good and manly wise, and were the +scathe of many a man, nor would iron bite on them. + +But there came thereto a certain man, old of aspect and one-eyed, +(1) and he spake -- + +"No wise men are ye, whereas ye cannot bring these men to their +end." + +Then the king said, "Give us rede thereto, if thou canst." + +He said, "Smite them to the death with stones." + +In such wise was it done, for the stones flew thick and fast from +every side, and that was the end of their life-days. + +And now has come to an end the whole root and stem of the +Giukings. (2) + + NOW MAY ALL EARLS + BE BETTERED IN MIND, + MAY THE GRIEF OF ALL MAIDENS + EVER BE MINISHED, + FOR THIS TALE OF TROUBLE + SO TOLD TO ITS ENDING. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Odin; he ends the tale as he began it. +(2) "And now," etc., inserted by translators from the prose + Edda, the stanza at the end from the Whetting of Gudrun. + + + +APPENDIX: +EXCERPTS FROM THE POETIC EDDA. + + + +PART OF THE SECOND LAY OF HELGI HUNDINGS-BANE (1) + +Helgi wedded Sigrun, and they begate sons together, but Helgi +lived not to be old; for Dag, (2) the son of Hogni, sacrificed to +Odin, praying that he might avenge his father. So Odin lent Dag +his spear, and Dag met Helgi, his brother-in-law, at a place +called Fetter-grove, and thrust him through with that spear, and +there fell Helgi dead; but Dag rode to Sevafell, and told Sigrun +of the news. + + DAG: + Loth am I, sister + Of sorrow to tell the, + For by hard need driven + Have I drawn on the greeting; + This morning fell + In Fetter-grove + The king well deemed + The best in the wide world, + Yea, he who stood + On the necks of the strong." + + SIGRUN: + All oaths once sworn + Shall bite thee sore, + The oaths that to Helgi + Once thou swarest + At the bright white + Water of Lightening, (3) + And at the cold rock + That the sea runneth over. + + May the ship sweep not on + That should sweep at its swiftest, + Though the wind desired + Behind thee driveth! + May the horse never run + That should run at his most might + When from thy foe's face + Thou hast most need to flee! + + May the sword never bite + That thou drawest from scabbard + But and if round thine head + In wrath it singeth! + + Then should meet price be paid + For Helgi's slaying + When a wolf thou wert + Out in the wild-wood, + Empty of good things + Empty of gladness, + With no meat for thy mouth + But dead men's corpses! + + DAG: + With mad words thou ravest, + Thy wits are gone from thee, + When thou for thy brother + Such ill fate biddest; + Odin alone + Let all this bale loose, + Casting the strife-runes + 'Twixt friends and kindred. + + Rings of red gold + Will thy brother give thee, + And the stead of Vandil + And the lands of Vigdale; + Have half of the land + For thy sorrow's healing, + O ring-arrayed sweetling + For thee and thy sons! + + SIGRUN: + No more sit I happy + At Sevafell; + At day-dawn, at night + Naught love I my life + Till broad o'er the people + My lord's light breaketh; + Till his war-horse runneth + Beneath him hither, + Well wont to the gold bit -- + Till my king I welcome. + + In such wise did Helgi + Deal fear around + To all his foes + And all their friends + As when the goat runneth + Before the wolf's rage + Filled with mad fear + Down from the fell. + + As high above all lords + Did Helgi beat him + As the ash-tree's glory + From the thorn ariseth, + Or as the fawn + With the dew-fell sprinkled + Is far above + All other wild things, + As his horns go gleaming + 'Gainst the very heavens. + +A barrow was raised above Helgi, but when he came in Valhall, +then Odin bade him be lord of all things there, even as he; so +Helgi sang -- + + HELGI: + Now shalt thou, Hunding + For the help of each man + Get ready the foot-bath, + And kindle the fire; + The hounds shalt thou bind + And give heed to the horses, + Give wash to the swine + Ere to sleep thou goest. + +A bondmaid of Sigrun went in the evening-tide by Helgi's mound, +and there saw how Helgi rode toward it with a great company; then +she sang -- + + BONDMAID: + It is vain things' beguilling + That methinks I behold, + Or the ending of all things, + As ye ride, O ye dead men, + Smiting with spurs + Your horses' sides? + Or may dead warriors + Wend their ways homeward? + + THE DEAD: + No vain things' beguiling + Is that thou beholdest, + Nor the ruin of all things; + Though thou lookest upon us, + Though we smite with spurs + Our horses' sides; + Rather dead warriors + May wend their ways homeward. + +Then went the bondmaid home, and told Sigrun, and sang -- + + BONDMAID: + Go out, Sigrun + From Sevafell, + If thou listest to look on + The lord of thy people! + For the mound is uncovered + Thither is Helgi come, + And his wounds are bleeding, + But the king thee biddeth + To come and stay + That stream of sorrow. + +So Sigrun went into the mound to Helgi, and sang -- + + SIGRUN: + Now am I as fain + Of this fair meeting, + As are the hungry + Hawks of Odin, + When they wot of the slaying + Of the yet warm quarry, + Or bright with dew + See the day a-dawning. + + Ah, I will kiss + My king laid lifeless, + Ere thou castest by + Thy blood-stained byrny. + O Helgi, thy hair + Is thick with death's rime, + With the dew of the dead + Is my love all dripping; + Dead-cold are the hands + Of the son of Hogni; + How for thee, O my king, + May I win healing? + + HELGI: + Thou alone, Sigrun + Of Sevafell, + Hast so done that Helgi + With grief's dew drippeth; + O clad in gold + Cruel tears thou weepest, + Bright May of the Southlands, + Or ever thou sleepest; + Each tear in blood falleth + On the breast of thy lord, + Cold wet and bitter-sharp + Swollen with sorrow. + + Ah, we shall drink + Dear draughts and lovely, + Though, we have lost + Both life and lands; + Neither shall any + Sing song of sorrow, + Though in my breast + Be wounds wide to behold: + For now are brides + In the mound abiding; + Kings' daughters sit + By us departed. + +Bow Sigrun arrayed a bed in the mound, and sang -- + + SIGRUN: + Here, Helgi, for thee + A bed have I dight, + Kind without woe, + O kin of the Ylfings! + To thy bosom, O king, + Will I come and sleep soft, + As I was wont + When my lord was living. + + HELGI: + Now will I call + Naught not to be hoped for + Early or late + At Sevafell, + When thou in the arms + Of a dead man art laid, + White maiden of Hogni, + Here in the mound: + And thou yet quick, + O King's daughter! + + Now needs must I ride + On the reddening ways; + My pale horse must tread + The highway aloft; + West must I go + To Windhelm's bridge + Ere the war-winning crowd + Hall-crower (4) waketh. + +So Helgi rode his ways: and the others gat them gone home to the +house. But the next night Sigrun bade the bondwoman have heed of +the mound. So at nightfall, thenas Sigrun came to the mound, she +sang: + + SIGRUN: + Here now would he come, + If to come he were minded; + Sigmund's offspring + From the halls of Odin. + O me the hope waneth + Of Helgi's coming; + For high on the ash-boughs + Are the ernes abiding, + And all folk drift + Toward the Thing of the dreamland. + + BONDMAID: + Be not foolish of heart, + And fare all alone + To the house of the dead, + O Hero's daughter! + For more strong and dreadful + In the night season + Are all dead warriors + Than in the daylight. + +But a little while lived Sigrun, because of her sorrow and +trouble. But in old time folk trowed that men should be born +again, though their troth be now deemed but an old wife's +dotting. And so, as folk say, Helgi and Sigrun were born again, +and at that tide was he called Helgi the Scathe of Hadding, and +she Kara the daughter of Halfdan; and she was a Valkyrie, even as +is said in the Lay of Kara. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Only that part of the song is given which completes the + episodes of Helgi Hunding's-bane; the earlier part of the + song differs little from the Saga. +(2) Hogni, the father of Dar and Sigrun, had been slain by Helgi + in battle, and Helgi had given peace to, and taken oaths of + Dag. +(3) One of the rivers of the under-world. +(4) Hall-crower, "Salgofnir": lit. Hall-gaper, the cock of + Valhall. + + + +PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) + + Now this is my first counsel, + That thou with thy kin + Be guiltless, guileless ever, + Nor hasty of wrath, + Despite of wrong done -- + Unto the dead good that doeth. + + Lo the second counsel, + That oath thou swearest never, + But trusty oath and true: + Grim tormenting + Gripes troth-breakers; + Cursed wretch is the wolf of vows. + + This is my third rede, + That thou at the Thing + Deal not with the fools of folk; + For unwise man + From mouth lets fall + Worser word than well he wotteth. + + Yet hard it is + That holding of peace + When men shall deem thee dastard, + Or deem the lie said soothly; + But woeful is home-witness, + Unless right good thou gettest it. + Ah, on another day + Drive the life from out him, + And pay the liar back for his lying. + + Now behold the fourth rede: + If ill witch thee bideth, + Woe-begatting by the way, + Good going further + Rather than guesting, + Though thick night be on thee. + + Far-seeing eyes + Need all sons of men + Who wend in wrath to war; + For baleful women + Bide oft by the highway, + Swords and hearts to soften. + + And now the fifth rede: + As fair as thou seest + Brides on the bench abiding, + Let not love's silver + Rule over thy sleeping; + Draw no woman to kind kissing! + + For the sixth thing, I rede + When men sit a-drinking + Amid ale-words and ill-words, + Dead thou naught + With the drunken fight-staves + For wine stealeth wit from many. + + Brawling and drink + Have brought unto men + Sorrow sore oft enow; + Yea, bane unto some, + And to some weary bale; + Many are the griefs of mankind. + + For the seventh, I rede thee, + If strife thou raisest + With a man right high of heart, + Better fight a-field + Than burn in the fire + Within thine hall fair to behold. + + The eighth rede that I give thee: + Unto all ill look thou, + And hold thine heart from all beguiling; + Draw to thee no maiden, + No man's wife bewray thou, + Urge them not unto unmeet pleasure. + + This is the ninth counsel: + That thou have heed of dead folk + Whereso thou findest them a-field; + Be they sick-dead, + Be they sea-dead, + Or come to ending by war-weapons. + + Let bath be made + For such men fordone, + Wash thou hands and feet thereof, + Comb their hair and dry them + Ere the coffin has them; + Then bid them sleep full sweetly. + + This for the tenth counsel: + That thou give trust never + Unto oaths of foeman's kin, + Be'st thou bane of his brother, + Or hast thou felled his father; + Wolf in young son waxes, + Though he with gold be gladdened. + + For wrong and hatred + Shall rest them never, + Nay, nor sore sorrow. + Both wit and weapons + Well must the king have + Who is fain to be the foremost. + + The last rede and eleventh: + Until all ill look thou. + And watch thy friends' ways ever + Scarce durst I look + For long life for thee, king: + Strong trouble ariseth now already. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) This continues the first part of the lay given in Chapter XX + of the Saga; and is, in fact, the original verse of Chapter + XXI. + + + +THE LAY CALLED THE SHORT LAY OF SIGURD. + + Sigurd of yore, + Sought the dwelling of Giuki, + As he fared, the young Volsung, + After fight won; + Troth he took + From the two brethren; + Oath swore they betwixt them, + Those bold ones of deed. + + A may they gave to him + And wealth manifold, + Gudrun the young, + Giuki's daughter: + They drank and gave doom + Many days together, + Sigurd the young, + And the sons of Giuki. + + Until they wended + For Brynhild's wooing, + Sigurd a-riding + Amidst their rout; + The wise young Volsung + Who knew of all ways -- + Ah! He had wed her, + Had fate so willed it. + + Southlander Sigurd + A naked sword, + Bright, well grinded, + Laid betwixt them; + No kiss he won + From the fair woman, + Nor in arms of his + Did the Hun King hold her, + Since he gat the young maid + For the son of Giuki. + + No lack in her life + She wotted of now, + And at her death-day + No dreadful thing + For a shame indeed + Or a shame in seeming; + But about and betwixt + Went baleful fate. + + Alone, abroad, + She sat of an evening, + Of full many things + She fall a-talking: + "O for my Sigurd! + I shall have death, + Or my fair, my lovely, + Laid in mine arms. + + "For the word once spoken, + I sorrow sorely -- + His queen is Gudrun, + I am wed to Gunnar; + The dread Norns wrought for us + A long while of woe." + + Oft with heart deep + In dreadful thoughts, + O'er ice-fields and ice-hills + She fared a-night time, + When he and Gudrun + Were gone to their fair bed, + And Sigurd wrapped + The bed-gear round her. + + "Ah! Now the Hun King + His queen in arms holdeth, + While love I go lacking, + And all things longed for + With no delight + But in dreadful thought." + + These dreadful things + Thrust her toward murder: + -- "Listen, Gunnar, + For thou shalt lose + My wide lands, + Yea, me myself! + Never love I my life, + With thee for my lord -- + + "I will fare back thither + From whence I came, + To my nighest kin + And those that know me + There shall I sit + Sleeping my life away, + Unless thou slayest + Sigurd the Hun King, + Making thy might more + E'en than his might was! + + "Yea, let the son fare + After the father, + And no young wolf + A long while nourish! + For on earth man lieth + Vengeance lighter, + And peace shall be surer + If the son live not." + + Adrad was Gunnar, + Heavy-hearted was he, + And in doubtful mood + Day-long he sat. + For naught he wotted, + Nor might see clearly + What was the seemliest + Of deeds to set hand to; + What of all deeds + Was best to be done: + For he minded the vows + Sworn to the Volsung, + And the sore wrong + To be wrought against Sigurd. + + Wavered his mind + A weary while, + No wont it was + Of those days worn by, + That queens should flee + From the realms of their kings. + + "Brynhild to me + Is better than all, + The child of Budli + Is the best of women. + Yea, and my life + Will I lay down, + Ere I am twinned + From that woman's treasure." + + He bade call Hogni + To the place where he bided; + With all the trust that might be, + Trowed he in him. + + "Wilt thou bewray Sigurd + For his wealth's sake? + Good it is to rule + O'er the Rhine's metal; + And well content + Great wealth to wield, + Biding in peace + And blissful days." + + One thing alone Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Such doings for us + Are naught seemly to do; + To rend with sword + Oaths once sworn, + Oaths once sworn, + And troth once plighted. + + "Nor know we on mould, + Men of happier days, + The while we four + Rule over the folk; + While the bold in battle, + The Hun King, bides living. + + "And no nobler kin + Shall be known afield, + If our five sons + We long may foster; + Yea, a goodly stem + Shall surely wax. + -- But I clearly see + In what wise it standeth, + Brynhild's sore urging + O'ermuch on thee beareth. + + "Guttorm shall we + Get for the slaying, + Our younger brother + Bare of wisdom; + For he was out of + All the oaths sworn, + All the oaths sworn, + And the plighted troth." + + Easy to rouse him + Who of naught recketh! + -- Deep stood the sword + In the heart of Sigurd. + + There, in the hall, + Gat the high-hearted vengeance; + For he can his sword + At the reckless slayer: + Out at Guttorm + Flew Gram the mighty, + The gleaming steel + From Sigurd's hand. + + Down fell the slayer + Smitten asunder; + The heavy head + And the hands fell one way, + But the feet and such like + Aback where they stood. + + Gudrun was sleeping + Soft in the bed, + Empty of sorrow + By the side of Sigurd: + When she awoke + With all pleasure gone, + Swimming in blood + Of Frey's beloved. + + So sore her hands + She smote together, + That the great-hearted + Gat raised in bed; + -- "O Gudrun, weep not + So woefully, + Sweet lovely bride, + For thy brethren live for thee! + + "A young child have I + For heritor; + Too young to win forth + From the house of his foes. -- + Black deeds and ill + Have they been a-doing, + Evil rede + Have they wrought at last. + + "Late, late, rideth with them + Unto the Thing, + Such sister's son, + Though seven thou bear, -- + -- But well I wot + Which way all goeth; + Alone wrought Brynhild + This bale against us. + + "That maiden loved me + Far before all men, + Yet wrong to Gunnar + I never wrought; + Brotherhood I heeded + And all bounden oaths, + That none should deem me + His queen's darling." + + Weary sighed Gudrun, + As the king gat ending, + And so sore her hands + She smote together, + That the cups arow + Rang out therewith, + And the geese cried on high + That were in the homefield. + + Then laughed Brynhild + Budli's daughter, + Once, once only, + From out her heart; + When to her bed + Was borne the sound + Of the sore greeting + Of Giuki's daughter. + + Then, quoth Gunnar, + The king, the hawk-bearer, + "Whereas, thou laughest, + O hateful woman, + Glad on thy bed, + No good it betokeneth: + Why lackest thou else + Thy lovely hue? + Feeder of foul deeds, + Fey do I deem thee, + + "Well worthy art thou + Before all women, + That thine eyes should see + Atli slain of us; + That thy brother's wounds + Thou shouldest see a-bleeding, + That his bloody hurts + Thine hands should bind." + + "No man blameth thee, Gunnar, + Thou hast fulfilled death's measure + But naught Atli feareth + All thine ill will; + Life shall he lay down + Later than ye, + And still bear more might + Aloft than thy might. + + "I shall tell thee, Gunnar, + Though well the tale thou knowest, + In what early days + Ye dealt abroad your wrong: + Young was I then, + Worn with no woe, + Good wealth I had + In the house of my brother! + + "No mind had I + That a man should have me, + Or ever ye Giukings, + Rode into our garth; + There ye sat on your steeds + Three kings of the people -- + -- Ah! That that faring + Had never befallen! + + "Then spake Atli + To me apart, + And said that no wealth + He would give unto me, + Neither gold nor lands + If I would not be wedded; + Nay, and no part + Of the wealth apportioned, + Which in my first days + He gave me duly; + Which in my first days + He counted down. + + "Wavered the mind + Within me then, + If to fight I should fall + And the felling of folk, + Bold in Byrny + Because of my brother; + A deed of fame + Had that been to all folk, + But to many a man + Sorrow of mind. + + "So I let all sink + Into peace at the last: + More grew I minded + For the mighty treasure, + The red-shining rings + Of Sigmund's son; + For no man's wealth else + Would I take unto me. + + "For myself had I given + To that great king + Who sat amid gold + On the back of Grani; + Nought were his eyes + Like to your eyen, + Nor in any wise + Went his visage with yours; + Though ye might deem you + Due kings of men. + + "One I loved, + One, and none other, + The gold-decked may + Had no doubtful mind; + Thereof shall Atli + Wot full surely, + When he getteth to know + I am gone to the dead. + + "Far be it from me, + Feeble and wavering, + Ever to love + Another's love -- + -- Yes shall my woe + Be well avenged." + + Up rose Gunnar, + The great men's leader, + And cast his arms + About the queen's neck; + And all went nigh + One after other, + With their whole hearts + Her heart to turn. + + But then all these + From her neck she thrust, + Of her long journey + No man should let her. + + Then called he Hogni + To have talk with him; + "Let all folk go + Forth into the hall, + Thine with mine -- + -- O need sore and mighty! -- + To wot if we yet + My wife's parting may stay. + Till with time's wearing + Some hindrance wax." + + One answer Hogni + Had for all; + "Nay, let hard need + Have rule thereover, + And no man let her + Of her long journey! + Never born again, + May she come back thence! + + "Luckless she came + To the lap of her mother, + Born into the world + For utter woe, + TO many a man + For heart-whole mourning." + + Upraised he turned + From the talk and the trouble, + To where the gem-field + Dealt out goodly treasure; + As she looked and beheld + All the wealth that she had, + And the hungry bondmaids, + And maids of the hall. + + With no good in her heart + She donned her gold byrny, + Ere she thrust the sword point + Through the midst of her body: + On the boister's far side + Sank she adown, + And, smitten with sword, + Still bethought her of redes. + + "Let all come forth + Who are fain the red gold, + Or things less worthy + To win from my hands; + To each one I give + A necklace gilt over, + Wrought hangings and bed=gear, + And bright woven weed." + + All they kept silence, + And thought what to speak, + Then all at once + Answer gave: + "Full enow are death-doomed, + Fain are we to live yet, + Maids of the hall + All meet work winning." + + "From her wise heart at last + The linen-clad damsel, + The one of few years + Gave forth the word: + "I will that none driven + By hand or by word, + For our sake should lose + Well-loved life. + + "Thou on the bones of you + Surely shall burn, + Less dear treasure + At your departing + Nor with Menia's Meal (1) + Shall ye come to see me." + + "Sit thee down, Gunnar, + A word must I say to thee + Of the life's ruin + Of thy lightsome bride -- + -- Nor shall thy ship + Swim soft and sweetly + For all that I + Lay life adown. + + "Sooner than ye might deem + Shall ye make peace with Gudrun, + For the wise woman + Shall full in the young wife + The hard memory + Of her dead husband. + + "There is a may born + Reared by her mother, + Whiter and brighter + Than is the bright day; + She shall be Swanhild, + She shall be Sunbeam. + + "Thou shalt give Gudrun + Unto a great one, + Noble, well-praised + Of the world's folk; + Not with her goodwill, + Or love shalt thou give her; + Yet will Atli + Come to win her, + My very brother, + Born of Budli. + + -- "Ah! Many a memory + Of how ye dealt with me, + How sorely, how evilly + Ye ever beguiled me, + How all pleasure left me + The while my life lasted! -- + + "Fain wilt thou be + Oddrun to win, + But thy good liking + Shall Atli let; + But in secret wise + Shall ye win together, + And she shall love thee + As I had loved thee, + If in such wise + Fare had willed it. + + "But with all ill + Shall Atli sting thee, + Into the strait worm-close + Shall he cast thee. + + "But no long space + Shall slip away + Ere Atli too + All life shall lose, + Yea, all his weal + With the life of his sons, + For a dreadful bed + Dights Gudrun for him, + From a heart sore laden, + With the sword's sharp edge. + + "More seemly for Gudrun, + Your very sister, + In death to wend after + Her love first wed; + Had but good rede + To her been given, + Or if her heart + Had been like to my heart. + + -- "Faint my speech groweth -- + But for our sake + Ne'er shall she lose + Her life beloved; + The sea shall have her, + High billows bear her + Forth unto Jonakr's + Fair land of his fathers. + + "There shall she bear sons, + Stays of a heritage, + Stays of a heritage, + Jonakr's sons; + And Swanhild shall she + Send from the land, + That may born of her, + The may born of Sigurd. + + "Her shall bite + The rede of Bikki, + Whereas for no good + Wins Jormunrek life; + And so is clean perished + All the kin of Sigurd, + Yea, and more greeting, + And more for Gudrun. + + "And now one prayer + Yet pray I of thee -- + That last word of mine + Here in the world -- + So broad on the field + Be the burg of the dead + That fair space may be left + For us all to lie down, + All those that died + At Sigurd's death! + + "Hang round that burg + Fair hangings and shields, + Web by Gauls woven, + And folk of the Gauls: + There burn the Hun King + Lying beside me. + + "But on the other side + Burn by the Hun King + Those who served me + Strewn with treasure; + Two at the head, + And two at the feet, + Two hounds therewith, + And two hawks moreover: + Then is all dealt + With even dealing. + + "Lay there amidst us + The right-dight metal, + The sharp-edged steel, + That so lay erst; + When we both together + Into one bed went, + And were called by the name + Of man and wife. + + "Never, then, belike + Shall clash behind him + Valhall's bright door + With rings bedight: + And if my fellowship + Followeth after, + In no wretched wise + Then shall we wend. + + "For him shall follow + My five bondmaids, + My eight bondsmen, + No borel folk: + Yea, and my fosterer, + And my father's dower + That Budli of old days + Gave to his dear child. + + "Much have I spoken, + More would I speak, + If the sword would give me + Space for speech; + But my words are waning, + My wounds are swelling -- + Naught but truth have I told -- + -- And now make I ending." + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) "Menia's Maid" -- periphrasis for gold. + + + +THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD. + +After the death of Brynhild were made two bales, one for Sigurd, +and that was first burned; but Brynhild was burned on the other, +and she was in a chariot hung about with goodly hangings. + +And so folk say that Brynhild drave in her chariot down along the +way to Hell, and passed by an abode where dwelt a certain +giantess, and the giantess spake: -- + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Nay, with my goodwill + Never goest thou + Through this stone-pillared + Stead of mine! + More seemly for thee + To sit sewing the cloth, + Than to go look on + The love of another. + + "What dost thou, going + From the land of the Gauls, + O restless head, + To this mine house? + Golden girl, hast thou not, + If thou listest to hearken, + In sweet wise from thy hands + The blood of men washen?" + + BRYNHILD + "Nay, blame me naught, + Bride of the rock-hall, + Though I roved a warring + In the days that were; + The higher of us twain + Shall I ever be holden + When of our kind + Men make account." + + THE GIANT-WOMAN + "Thou, O Brynhild, + Budli's daughter, + Wert the worst ever born + Into the world; + For Giuki's children + Death hast thou gotten, + And turned to destruction + Their goodly dwelling." + + BRYNHILD + "I shall tell thee + True tale from my chariot, + O thou who naught wottest, + If thou listest to wot; + How for me they have gotten + Those heirs of Giuki, + A loveless life, + A life of lies. + + "Hild under helm, + The Hlymdale people, + E'en those who knew me, + Ever would call me. + + "The changeful shapes + Of us eight sisters, + The wise king bade + Under oak-tree to bear; + Of twelve winters was I, + If thou listest to wot, + When I sware to the young lord + Oaths of love. + + "Thereafter gat I + Mid the folk of the Goths, + For Helmgunnar the old, + Swift journey to Hell, + And gave to Aud's brother + The young, gain and glory; + Whereof overwrath + Waxed Odin with me. + + "So he shut me in shield-wall + In Skata grove, + Red shields and white + Close set around me; + And bade him alone + My slumber to break + Who in no land + Knew how to fear. + + "He set round my hall, + Toward the south quarter, + The Bane of all trees + Burning aloft; + And ruled that he only + Thereover should ride + Who should bring me the gold + O'er which Fafnir brooded. + + "Then upon Grani rode + The goodly gold-strewer + To where my fosterer + Ruled his fair dwelling. + He who alone there + Was deemed best of all, + The War-lord of the Danes, + Well worthy of men. + + "In peace did we sleep + Soft in one bed, + As though he had been + Naught but my brother: + There as we lay + Through eight nights wearing, + No hand in love + On each other we laid. + + "Yet thence blamed me, Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That I had slept + In the arms of Sigurd; + And then I wotted + As I fain had not wotted, + That they had bewrayed me + In my betrothals. + + "Ah! For unrest + All too long + Are men and women + Made alive! + Yet we twain together + Shall wear through the ages, + Sigurd and I. -- + -- Sink adown, O giant-wife!" + + + +FRAGMENTS OF THE LAY OF BRYNHILD + + HOGNI SAID: + "What hath wrought Sigurd + Of any wrong-doing + That the life of the famed one + Thou art fain of taking?" + + GUNNAR SAID: + "To me has Sigurd + Sworn many oaths, + Sworn many oaths, + And sworn them lying, + And he bewrayed me + When it behoved him + Of all folk to his troth + To be the most trusty." + + HOGNI SAID: + "Thee hath Brynhild + Unto all bale, + And all hate whetted, + And a work of sorrow; + For she grudges to Gudrun + All goodly life; + And to thee the bliss + Of her very body." + + ******* + + Some the wolf roasted, + Some minced the worm, + Some unto Guttorm + Gave the wolf-meat, + Or ever they might + In their lust for murder + On the high king + Lay deadly hand. + + Sigurd lay slain + On the south of the Rhine + High from the fair tree + Croaked forth the raven, + "Ah, yet shall Atli + On you redden edges, + The old oaths shall weigh + On your souls, O warriors." + + Without stood Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + And the first word she said + Was even this word: + "Where then is Sigurd, + Lord of the Warfolk, + Since my kin + Come riding the foremost? + + One word Hogni + Had for an answer: + "Our swords have smitten + Sigurd asunder, + And the grey horse hangs drooping + O'er his lord lying dead." + + Then quoth Brynhild, + Budli's daughter; + "Good weal shall ye have + Of weapons and lands, + That Sigurd alone + Would surely have ruled + If he had lived + But a little longer. + + "Ah, nothing seemly + For Sigurd to rule + Giuki's house + And the folk of the Goths, + When of him five sons + For the slaying of men, + Eager for battle, + Should have been begotten!" + + Then laughed Brynhild -- + Loud rang the whole house -- + One laugh only + From out her heart: + "Long shall your bliss be + Of lands and people, + Whereas the famed lord + You have felled to the earth!" + + Then spake Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter; + "Much thou speakest, + Many things fearful, + All grame be on Gunnar + The bane of Sigurd! + From a heart full of hate + Shall come heavy vengeance." + + Forth sped the even + Enow there was drunken, + Full enow was there + Of all soft speech; + And all men got sleep + When to bed they were gotten; + Gunnar only lay waking + Long after all men. + + His feet fell he to moving, + Fell to speak to himself + The waster of men, + Still turned in his mind + What on the bough + Those twain would be saying, + The raven and erne, + As they rode their ways homeward. + + But Brynhild awoke, + Budli's daughter, + May of the shield-folk, + A little ere morning: + "Thrust ye on, hold ye back, + -- Now all harm is wrought, -- + To tell of my sorrow, + Or to let all slip by me?" + + All kept silence + After her speaking, + None might know + That woman's mind, + Or why she must weep + To tell of the work + That laughing once + Of men she prayed. + + BRYNHILD SPAKE: + "In dreams, O Gunnar, + Grim things fell on me; + Dead-cold the hall was, + And my bed was a-cold, + And thou, lord, wert riding + Reft of all bliss, + Laden with fetters + 'Mid the host of thy foemen." + + "So now all ye, + O House of the Niblungs, + Shall be brought to naught, + O ye oath-breakers! + + "Think'st thou not, Gunnar, + How that betid, + When ye let the blood run + Both in one footstep? + With ill reward + Hast thou rewarded + His heart so fain + To be the foremost! + + "As well was seen + When he rode his ways, + That king of all worth, + Unto my wooing; + How the host-destroyer + Held to the vows + Sworn beforetime, + Sworn to the young king. + + "For his wounding-wand + All wrought with gold, + The king beloved + Laid between us; + Without were its edges + Wrought with fire, + But with venom-drops + Deep dyed within." + +Thus this song telleth of the death of Sigurd, and setteth forth +how that they slew him without doors; but some say that they slew +him within doors, sleeping in his bed. But the Dutch Folk say +that they slew him out in the wood: and so sayeth the ancient +song of Gudrun, that Sigurd and the sons of Giuki were riding to +the Thing whenas he was slain. But all with one accord say that +they bewrayed him in their troth with him, and fell on him as he +lay unarrayed and unawares. + + + +THE SECOND OR ANCIENT LAY OF GUDRUN. + +Thiodrek the King was in Atli's house, and had lost there the +more part of his men: so there Thiodrek and Gudrun bewailed their +troubles one to the other, and she spake and said: -- + + A may of all mays + My mother reared me + Bright in bower; + Well loved I my brethren, + Until that Giuki + With gold arrayed me, + With gold arrayed me, + And gave me to Sigurd. + + Such was my Sigurd, + Among the sons of Giuki + As is the green leek + O'er the low grass waxen, + Or a hart high-limbed + Over hurrying deer, + Or glede-red gold + Over grey silver. + + Till me they begrudged, + Those my brethren, + The fate to have him, + Who was first of all men; + Nor might they sleep, + Nor sit a-dooming, + Ere they let slay + My well-loved Sigurd. + + Grani ran to the Thing, + There was clatter to hear, + But never came Sigurd + Himself thereunto; + All the saddle-girt beasts + With blood were besprinkled, + As faint with the way + Neath the slayers they went. + + Then greeting I went + With Grani to talk, + And with tear-furrowed cheeks + I bade him tell all; + But drooping laid Grani, + His head in the grass, + For the steed well wotted + Of his master's slaying. + + A long while I wandered, + Long my mind wavered, + Ere the kings I might ask + Concerning my king. + + Then Gunnar hung head, + But Hogni told + Of the cruel slaying + Of my Sigurd: + "On the water's far side + Lies, smitten to death, + The bane of Guttorm + To the wolves given over. + + "Go, look on Sigurd, + On the ways that go southward, + There shalt thou hear + The ernes high screaming, + The ravens a-croaking + As their meat they crave for; + Thou shalt hear the wolves howling + Over thine husband. + + "How hast thou, Hogni, + The heart to tell me, + Me of joy made empty, + Of such misery? + Thy wretched heart + May the ravens tear + Wide over the world, + With no men mayst thou wend." + + One thing Hogni + Had for answer, + Fallen from his high heart, + Full of all trouble: + "More greeting yet, + O Gudrun, for thee, + If my heart the ravens + Should rend asunder!" + + Thence I turned + From the talk and the trouble + To go a leasing (1) + What the wolves had left me; + No sigh I made + No smote hands together, + Nor did I wail + As other women + When I sat over + My Sigurd slain. + + Night methought it, + And the moonless dark, + When I sat in sorrow + Over Sigurd; + Better than all things + I deemed it would be + If they would let me + Cast my life by, + Or burn me up + As they burn the birch-wood. + + From the fell I wandered + Five days together, + Until the high hall + Of Half lay before me; + Seven seasons there + I sat with Thora, + The daughter of Hacon, + Up in Denmark. + + My heart to gladden + With gold she wrought + Southland halls + And swans of the Dane-folk; + There had we painted + The chiefs a-playing; + Fair our hands wrought + Folk of the kings. + + Red shields we did, + Doughty knights of the Huns, + Hosts spear-dight, hosts helm-dight, + All a high king's fellows; + And the ships of Sigmund + From the land swift sailing; + Heads gilt over + And prows fair graven. + + On the cloth we broidered + That tide of their battling, + Siggeir and Siggar, + South in Fion. + + Then heard Grimhild, + The Queen of Gothland, + How I was abiding, + Weighed down with woe; + And she thrust the cloth from her + And called to her sons, + And oft and eagerly + Asked them thereof, + Who for her son + Would their sister atone, + Who for her lord slain + Would lay down weregild. + + Fain was Gunnar + Gold to lay down + All wrongs to atone for, + And Hogni in likewise; + Then she asked who was fain + Of faring straightly, + The steed to saddle + To set forth the wain, + The horse to back, + And the hawk to fly, + To shoot forth the arrow + From out the yew-bow. + + Valdarr the Dane-king + Came with Jarisleif + Eymod the third went + Then went Jarizskar; + In kingly wise + In they wended, + The host of the Longbeards; + Red cloaks had they, + Byrnies short-cut, + Helms strong hammered, + Girt with glaives, + And hair red-gleaming. + + Each would give me + Gifts desired, + Gifts desired, + Speech dear to my heart, + If they might yet, + Despite my sorrow, + Win back my trust, + But in them nought I trusted. + + Then brought me Grimhild + A beaker to drink of, + Cold and bitter, + Wrong's memory to quench; + Made great was that drink + With the might of the earth, + With the death-cold sea + And the blood that Son (2) holdeth. + + On that horn's face were there + All the kin of letters + Cut aright and reddened, + How should I rede them rightly? + + The ling-fish long + Of the land of Hadding, + Wheat-ears unshorn, + And wild things' inwards. + + In that mead were mingled + Many ills together, + Blood of all the wood, + And brown-burnt acorns; + The black dew of the hearth, (3) + And god-doomed dead beasts' inwards + And the swine's liver sodden, + For wrongs late done that deadens. + + Then waned my memory + When that was within me, + Of my lord 'mid the hall + By the iron laid low. + Three kings came + Before my knees + Ere she herself + Fell to speech with me. + + "I will give to thee, Gudrun, + Gold to be glad with, + All the great wealth + Of thy father gone from us, + Rings of red gold + And the great hall of Lodver, + And all fair hangings left + By the king late fallen. + + "Maids of the Huns + Woven pictures to make, + And work fair in gold + Till thou deem'st thyself glad. + Alone shalt thou rule + O'er the riches of Budli, + Shalt be made great with gold, + And be given to Atli." + + "Never will I + Wend to a husband, + Or wed the brother + Of Queen Brynhild; + Naught it beseems me + With the son of Budli + Kin to bring forth, + Or to live and be merry." + + "Nay, the high chiefs + Reward not with hatred, + For take heed that I + Was the first in this tale! + To thy heart shall it be + As if both these had life, + Sigurd and Sigmund, + When thou hast borne sons." + + "Naught may I, Grimhild, + Seek after gladness, + Nor deem aught hopeful + Of any high warrior, + Since wolf and raven + Were friends together, + The greedy, the cruel, + O'er great Sigurd's heart-blood." + + "Of all men that can be + For the noblest of kin + This king have I found, + And the foremost of all; + Him shalt thou have + Till with eld thou art heavy -- + Be thou ever unwed, + If thou wilt naught of him!" + + "Nay, nay, bid me not + With thy words long abiding + To take unto me + That balefullest kin; + This king shall bid Gunnar + Be stung to his bane, + And shall cut the heart + From out of Hogni. + + "Nor shall I leave life + Ere the keen lord, + The eager in sword-play, + My hand shall make end of." + + Grimhild a-weeping + Took up the word then, + When the sore bale she wotted + Awaiting her sons, + And the bane hanging over + Her offspring beloved. + + "I will give thee, moreover, + Great lands, many men, + Wineberg and Valberg, + If thou wilt but have them; + Hold them lifelong, + And live happy, O daughter!" + + "Then him must I take + From among kingly men, + 'Gainst my heart's desire, + From the hands of my kinsfolk; + But no joy I look + To have from that lord: + Scarce may my brother's bane + Be a shield to my sons." + + Soon was each warrior + Seen on his horse, + But the Gaulish women + Into wains were gotten; + Then seven days long + O'er a cold land we rode, + And for seven other + Clove we the sea-waves. + But with the third seven + O'er dry land we wended. + + There the gate-wardens + Of the burg, high and wide, + Unlooked the barriers + Ere the burg-garth we rode to -- + + ***** + ***** + + Atli woke me + When meseemed I was + Full evil of heart + For my kin dead slain. + + "In such wise did the Norns + Wake me or now." -- + Fain was he to know + Of this ill foreshowing -- + "That methought, O Gudrun, + Giuki's daughter, + That thou setst in my heart + A sword wrought for guile." + + "For fires tokening I deem it + That dreaming of iron, + But for pride and for lust + The wrath of fair women + Against some bale + Belike, I shall burn thee + For thy solace and healing + Though hateful thou art." + + "In the fair garth methought + Had saplings fallen + E'en such as I would + Should have waxen ever; + Uprooted were these, + And reddened with blood, + And borne to the bench, + And folk bade me eat of them. + + "Methought from my hand then + Went hawks a-flying + Lacking their meat + To the land of all ill; + Methought that their hearts + Mingled with honey, + Swollen with blood + I ate amid sorrow. + + "Lo, next two whelps + From my hands I loosened, + Joyless were both, + And both a-howling; + And now their flesh + Became naught but corpses, + Whereof must I eat + But sore against my will." + + "O'er the prey of the fishers + Will folk give doom; + From the bright white fish + The heads will they take; + Within a few nights, + Fey as they are, + A little ere day + Of that draught will they eat." + + "Ne'er since lay I down, + Ne'er since would I sleep, + Hard of heart, in my bed: -- + That deed have I to do. (4) + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) The original has "a vid lesa". "Leasing" is the word still + used for gleaning in many country sides in England. +(2) Son was the vessel into which was poured the blood of + Quasir, the God of Poetry. +(3) This means soot. +(4) The whole of this latter part is fragmentary and obscure; + there seems wanting to two of the dreams some trivial + interpretation by Gudrun, like those given by Hogni to + Kostbera in the Saga, of which nature, of course, the + interpretation contained in the last stanza but one is, as + we have rendered it: another rendering, from the different + reading of the earlier edition of "Edda" (Copenhagen, 1818) + would make this refer much more directly to the slaying of + her sons by Gudrun. + + + +THE SONG OF ATLI. + +Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenger her brethren, as is told far +and wide; first she slew the sons of Atli, and then Atli himself; +and she burned the hall thereafter, and all the household with +it: and about these matters is this song made: -- + + In days long gone + Sent Atli to Gunnar + A crafty one riding, + Knefrud men called him; + To Giuki's garth came he, + To the hall of Gunnar, + To the benches gay-dight, + And the gladsome drinking. + + There drank the great folk + 'Mid the guileful one's silence, + Drank wine in their fair hall: + The Huns' wrath they feared + When Knefrud cried + In his cold voice, + As he sat on the high seat, + That man of the Southland: + + "Atli has sent me + Riding swift on his errands + On the bit-griping steed + Through dark woodways unbeaten, + To bid thee, King Gunnar, + Come to his fair bench + With helm well-adorned, + To the house of King Atli. + + "Shield shall ye have there + And spears ashen-shafted, + Helms ruddy with gold, + And hosts of the Huns; + Saddle-gear silver gilt, + Shirts red as blood, + The hedge of the warwife, + And horses bit-griping. + + "And he saith he will give you + Gnitaheath widespread, + And whistling spears + And prows well-gilded, + Might wealth + With the stead of Danpi, + And that noble wood + Men name the Murkwood." + + Then Gunnar turned head + And spake unto Hogni: + "What rede from thee, high one, + Since such things we hear? + No gold know I + On Gnitaheath, + That we for our parts + Have not portion as great. + + "Seven halls we have + Fulfilled of swords, + And hilts of gold + Each sword there has; + My horse is the best, + My blade is the keenest; + Fair my bow o'er the bench is, + Gleams my byrny with gold; + Brightest helm, brightest shield, + From Kiar's dwelling ere brought -- + Better all things I have + Than all things of the Huns." + + HOGNI SAID: + "What mind has our sister + That a ring she hath sent us + In weed of wolves clad? + Bids she not to be wary? + For a wolf's hair I found + The fair ring wreathed about; + Wolf beset shall the way be + If we wend on this errand." + + No sons whetted Gunnar, + Nor none of his kin, + Nor learned men nor wise men, + Nor such as were mighty. + Then spake Gunnar + E'en as a king should speak, + Glorious in mead-hall + From great heart and high: + + "Rise up now, Fiornir, + Forth down the benches + Let the gold-cups of great ones + Pass in hands of my good-men! + Well shall we drink wine, + Draughts dear to our hearts, + Though the last of all feasts + In our fair house this be! + + "For the wolves shall rule + O'er the wealth of the Niblungs, + With the pine-woods' wardens + In Gunnar perish: + And the black-felled bears + With fierce teeth shall bite + For the glee of the dog kind, + If again comes not Gunnar." + + Then good men never shamed, + Greeting aloud, + Led the great king of men + From the garth of his home; + And cried the fair son + Of Hogni the king: + "Fare happy, O Lords, + Whereso your hearts lead you!" + + Then the bold knights + Let their bit-griping steeds + Wend swift o'er the fells, + Tread the murk-wood unknown, + All the Hunwood was shaking + As the hardy ones fared there; + O'er the green meads they urged + Their steeds shy of the goad. + + Then Atli's land saw they; + Great towers and strong, + And the bold men of Bikki, + Aloft on the burg: + The Southland folks' hall + Set with benches about, + Dight with bucklers well bounden, + And bright white shining shields. + + There drank Atli, + The awful Hun king, + Wine in his fair hall; + Without were the warders, + Gunnar's folk to have heed of, + Lest they had fared thither + With the whistling spear + War to wake 'gainst the king. + + But first came their sister + As they came to the hall, + Both her brethren she met, + With beer little gladdened: + "Bewrayed art thou, Gunnar! + What dost thou great king + To deal war to the Huns? + Go thou swift from the hall! + + Better, brother, hadst thou + Fared here in thy byrny + Than with helm gaily dight + Looked on Atli's great house: + Them hadst sat then in saddle + Through days bright with the sun + Fight to awaken + And fair fields to redden: + + "O'er the folk fate makes pale + Should the Norn's tears have fallen, + The shield mays of the Huns + Should have known of all sorrow; + And King Atli himself + To worm-close should be brought; + But now is the worm-close + Kept but for thee." + + Then spake Gunnar + Great 'mid the people: + "Over-late sister + The Niblungs to summon; + A long way to seek + The helping of warriors, + The high lord unshamed, + From the hills of the Rhine!" + + ***** + ***** + + Seven Hogni beat down + With his sword sharp-grinded, + And the eighth man he thrust + Amidst of the fire. + Ever so shall famed warrior + Fight with his foemen, + As Hogni fought + For the hand of Gunnar. + + But on Gunnar they fell, + And set him in fetters, + And bound hard and fast + That friend of Burgundians; + Then the warrior they asked + If he would buy life, + But life with gold + That king of the Goths. + + Nobly spake Gunnar, + Great lord of the Niblungs; + "Hogni's bleeding heart first + Shall lie in mine hand, + Cut from the breast + Of the bold-riding lord, + With bitter-sharp knife + From the son of the king." + + With guile the great one + Would they beguile, + On the wailing thrall + Laid they hand unwares, + And cut the heart + From out of Hjalli, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it to Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler, + Little like the heart + Of Hogni the hardy: + As much as it trembleth + Laid on the trencher + By the half more it trembled + In the breast of him hidden." + + Then laughed Hogni + When they cut the heart from him, + From the crest-smith yet quick, + Little thought he to quail. + The hard acorn of thought + From the high king they took, + Laid it bleeding on trencher + And bare it Gunnar. + + "Here have I the heart + Of Hogni the hardy, + Little like to the heart + Of Hjalli the trembler. + Howso little it quaketh + Laid here on the dish, + Yet far less it quaked + In the breast of him laid. + + "So far mayst thou bide + From men's eyen, O Atli, + As from that treasure + Thou shalt abide! + + "Behold in my heart + Is hidden for ever + That hoard of the Niblungs, + Now Hogni is dead. + Doubt threw me two ways + While the twain of us lived, + But all that is gone + Now I live on alone. + + "The great Rhine shall rule + O'er the hate-raising treasure, + That gold of the Niblungs, + The seed of the gods: + In the weltering water + Shall that wealth lie a-gleaming, + Or it shine on the hands + Of the children of Huns!" + + Then cried Atli, + King of the Hun-folk, + "Drive forth your wains now + The slave is fast bounden." + And straightly thence + The bit-shaking steeds + Drew the hoard-warden, + The war-god to his death. + + Atli the great king, + Rode upon Glaum, + With shields set round about, + And sharp thorns of battle: + Gudrun, bound by wedlock + To these, victory made gods of, + Held back her tears + As the hall she ran into. + + "Let it fare with thee, Atli, + E'en after thine oaths sworn + To Gunnar fell often; + Yea, oaths sworn of old time, + By the sun sloping southward, + By the high burg of Sigry, + By the fair bed of rest, + By the red ring of Ull!" + + Now a host of men + Cast the high king alive + Into a close + Crept o'er within + With most foul worms, + Fulfilled of all venom, + Ready grave to dig + In his doughty heart. + + Wrathful-hearted he smote + The harp with his hand, + Gunnar laid there alone; + And loud rang the strings. -- + In such wise ever + Should hardy ring-scatterer + Keep gold from all folk + In the garth of his foeman. + + Then Atli would wend + About his wide land, + On his steed brazen shod, + Back from the murder. + Din there was in the garth, + All thronged with the horses; + High the weapon-song rose + From men come from the heath. + + Out then went Gudrun, + 'Gainst Atli returning, + With a cup gilded over, + To greet the land's ruler; + "Come, then, and take it, + King glad in thine hall, + From Gudrun's hands, + For the hell-farers groan not!" + + Clashed the beakers of Atli, + Wine-laden on bench, + As in hall there a-gathered, + The Huns fell a-talking, + And the long-bearded eager ones + Entered therein, + From a murk den new-come, + From the murder of Gunnar. + + Then hastened the sweet-faced + Delight of the shield-folk, + Bright in the fair hall, + Wine to bear to them: + The dreadful woman + Gave dainties withal + To the lords pale with fate, + Laid strange word upon Atli: + + "The hearts of thy sons + Hast thou eaten, sword-dealer, + All bloody with death + And drenched with honey: + In most heavy mood + Brood o'er venison of men! + Drink rich draughts therewith, + Down the high benches send it! + + "Never callest thou now + From henceforth to thy knee + Fair Erp or fair Eiril, + Bright-faced with the drink; + Never seest thou them now + Amidmost the seat, + Scattering the gold, + Or shafting of spears; + Manes trimming duly, + Or driving steeds forth!" + + Din arose from the benches, + Dread song of men was there, + Noise 'mid the fair hangings, + As all Hun's children wept; + All saving Gudrun, + Who never gat greeting, + For her brethren bear-hardy + For her sweet sons and bright, + The young ones, the simple + Once gotten with Atli. + + ***** + ***** + + The seed of gold + Sowed the swan-bright woman, + Rings of red gold + She gave to the house-carls; + Fate let she wax, + Let the bright gold flow forth, + In naught spared that woman + The store-houses' wealth. + + Atli unaware + Was a-weary with drink; + No weapon had he, + No heeding of Gudrun -- + Ah, the pity would be better, + When in soft wise they twain + Would full often embrace + Before the great lords! + + To the bed with sword-point + Blood gave she to drink + With a hand fain of death, + And she let the dogs loose: + Then in from the hall-door -- + -- Up waked the house-carls -- + Hot brands she cast, + Gat revenge for her brethren. + + To the flame gave she all + Who therein might be found; + Fell adown the old timbers, + Reeked all treasure-houses; + There the shield-mays were burnt, + Their lives' span brought to naught; + In the fierce fire sank down + All the stead of the Budlungs. + + Wide told of is this -- + Ne'er sithence in the world, + Thus fared bride clad in byrny + For her brothers' avenging; + For behold, this fair woman + To three kings of the people, + Hath brought very death + Or ever she died! + + + +THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN. + +Gudrun went down unto the sea whenas she had slain Atli, and she +cast herself therein, for she was fain to end her life: but +nowise might she drown. She drave over the firths to the land of +King Jonakr, and he wedded her, and their sons were Sorli, and +Erp, and Hamdir, and there was Swanhild, Sigurd's daughter, +nourished: and she was given to Jormunrek the Mighty. Now Bikki +was a man of his, and gave such counsel to Randver, the king's +son, as that he should take her; and with that counsel were the +young folk well content. + +Then Bikki told the king, and the king let hang Randver, but bade +Swanhild be trodden under horses' feet. But when Gudrun heard +thereof, she spake to her sons -- + + Words of strife heard I, + Huger than any, + Woeful words spoken, + Sprung from all sorrow, + When Gudrun fierce-hearted + With the grimmest of words + Whetter her sons + Unto the slaying. + + "Why are ye sitting here? + Why sleep ye life away? + Why doth it grieve you nought? + Glad words to speak, + Now when your sister -- + Young of years was she -- + Has Jormunrek trodden + With the treading of horses? -- + + "Black horses and white + In the highway of warriors; + Grey horses that know + The roads of the Goths. -- + + "Little like are ye grown + To that Gunnar of old days! + Nought are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your mood were in aught + As the mood of my brethren, + Or the hardy hearts + Of the Kings of the Huns!" + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted -- + "Little didst thou + Praise Hogni's doings, + When Sigurd woke + From out of sleep, + And the blue-white bed-gear + Upon thy bed + Grew red with man's blood -- + With the blood of thy mate! + + "Too baleful vengeance + Wroughtest thou for thy brethren + Most sore and evil + When thy sons thou slewedst, + Else all we together + On Jormunrek + Had wrought sore vengeance + For that our sister. + + "Come, bring forth quickly + The Hun kings' bright gear, + Since thou has urged us + Unto the sword-Thing!" + + Laughing went Gudrun + To the bower of good gear, + Kings' crested helms + From chests she drew, + And wide-wrought byrnies + Bore to her sons: + Then on their horses + Load laid the heroes. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted -- + "Never cometh again + His mother to see + The spear-god laid low + In the land of the Goths. + That one arvel mayst thou + For all of us drink, + For sister Swanhild, + And us thy sons." + + Greeted Gudrun + Giuki's daughter; + Sorrowing she went + In the forecourt to sit, + That she might tell, + With cheeks tear-furrowed, + Her weary wail + In many a wise. + + "Three fires I knew, + Three hearths I knew, + To three husbands' houses + Have I been carried; + And better than all + Had been Sigurd alone, + He whom my brethren + Brought to his bane. + + "Such sore grief as that + Methought never should be, + Yet more indeed + Was left for my torment + Then, when the great ones + Gave me to Atli. + + "My fair bright boys + I bade unto speech, + Nor yet might I win + Weregild for my bale, + Ere I had hewn off + Those Niblungs' heads. + + "To the sea-strand I went + With the Norns sorely wroth, + For I would thrust from me + The storm of their torment; + But the high billows + Would not drown, but bore me + Forth, till I stepped a-land + Longer to live. + + "Then I went a-bed -- + -- Ah, better in the old days, + This was the third time! -- + To a king of the people; + Offspring I brought forth, + Props of a fair house, + Props of a fair house, + Jonakr's fair sons. + + "But around Swanhild + Bond-maidens sat, + Her, that of all mine + Most to my heart was; + Such was my Swanhild, + In my hall's midmost, + As is the sunbeam + Fair to beheld. + + "In gold I arrayed her, + And goodly raiment, + Or ever I gave her + To the folk of the Goths. + That was the hardest + Of my heavy woes, + When the bright hair, -- + O the bright hair of Swanhild! -- + In the mire was trodden + By the treading of horses. + + "This was the sorest, + When my love, my Sigurd, + Reft of glory + In his bed gat ending: + But this the grimmest + When glittering worms + Tore their way + Through the heart of Gunnar. + + "But this the keenest + When they cut to the quick + Of the hardy heart + Of the unfeared Hogni. + Of much of bale I mind me, + Of many griefs I mind me; + Why should I sit abiding + Yet more bale and more? + + "Thy coal-black horse, + O Sigurd, bridle, + The swift on the highway! + O let him speed hither! + Here sitteth no longer + Son or daughter, + More good gifts + To give to Gudrun! + + "Mindst thou not, Sigurd, + Of the speech betwixt us, + When on one bed + We both sat together, + O my great king -- + That thou wouldst come to me + E'en from the hall of Hell, + I to thee from the fair earth? + + "Pile high, O earls + The oaken pile, + Let it be the highest + That ever queen had! + Let the fire burn swift, + My breast with woe laden, + And thaw all my heart, + Hard, heavy with sorrow!" + + Now may all earls + Be bettered in mind, + May the grief of all maidens + Ever be minished, + For this tale of sorrow + So told to its ending. + + + +THE LAY OF HAMDIR + + Great deeds of bale + In the garth began, + At the sad dawning + The tide of Elves' sorrow + When day is a-waxing + And man's grief awaketh, + And the sorrow of each one + The early day quickeneth. + + Not now, not now, + Nor yesterday, + But long ago + Has that day worn by, + That ancientest time, + The first time to tell of, + Then, whenas Gudrun, + Born of Giuki, + Whetter her sons + To Swanhild's avenging. + + "Your sister's name + Was naught but Swanhild, + Whom Jormunrek + With horses has trodden! -- + White horses and black + On the war-beaten way, + Grey horses that go + On the roads of the Goths. + + "All alone am I now + As in holt is the aspen; + As the fir-tree of boughs, + So of kin am I bare; + As bare of things longed for + As the willow of leaves + When the bough-breaking wind + The warm day endeth. + + "Few, sad, are ye left + O kings of my folk! + Yet alone living + Last shreds of my kin! + + "Ah, naught are ye grown + As that Gunnar of old days; + Naught are your hearts + As the heart of Hogni! + Well would ye seek + Vengeance to win + If your hearts were in aught + As the hearts of my brethren!" + + Then spake Hamdir + The high-hearted: + "Nought hadst thou to praise + The doings of Hogni, + When they woke up Sigurd + From out of slumber, + And in bed thou sat'st up + 'Mid the banes-men's laughter. + + "Then when thy bed=gear, + Blue-white, well woven + By art of craftsmen + All swam with thy king's blood; + The Sigurd died, + O'er his dead corpse thou sattest, + Not heeding aught gladsome, + Since Gunnar so willed it. + + "Great grief for Atli + Gatst thou by Erp's murder, + And the end of thine Eitil, + But worse grief for thyself. + Good to use sword + For the slaying of others + In such wise that its edge + Shall not turn on ourselves!" + + Then well spake Sorli + From a heart full of wisdom: + "No words will I + Make with my mother, + Though both ye twain + Need words belike -- + What askest thou, Gudrun, + To let thee go greeting? + + "Weep for thy brethren, + Weep for thy sweet sons, + And thy nighest kinsfolk + Laid by the fight-side! + Yea, and thou Gudrun, + May'st greet for us twain + Sitting fey on our steeds + Doomed in far lands to die." + + From the garth forth they went + With hearts full of fury, + Sorli and Hamdir, + The sons of Gudrun, + And they met on the way + The wise in all wiles: + "And thou little Erp, + What helping from thee?" + + He of alien womb + Spake out in such wise: + "Good help for my kin, + Such as foot gives to foot, + Or flesh-covered hand + Gives unto hand!" + + "What helping for foot + That help that foot giveth, + Or for flesh-covered hand + The helping of hand?" + + Then spake Erp + Yet once again + Mock spake the prince + As he sat on his steed: + "Fool's deed to show + The way to a dastard!" + "Bold beyond measure," + Quoth they, "is the base-born!" + + Out from the sheath + Drew they the sheath-steel, + And the glaives' edges played + For the pleasure of hell; + By the third part they minished + The might that they had, + Their young kin they let lie + A-cold on the earth. + + Then their fur-cloaks they shook + And bound fast their swords, + In webs goodly woven + Those great ones were clad; + Young they went o'er the fells + Where the dew was new-fallen + Swift, on steeds of the Huns, + Heavy vengeance to wreak. + + Forth stretched the ways, + And an ill way they found, + Yea, their sister's son (1) + Hanging slain upon tree -- + Wolf-trees by the wind made cold + At the town's westward + Loud with cranes' clatter -- + Ill abiding there long! + + Din in the king's hall + Of men merry with drink, + And none might hearken + The horses' tramping + Or ever the warders + Their great horn winded. + + Then men went forth + To Jormunrek + To tell of the heeding + Of men under helm: + "Give ye good counsel! + Great ones are come hither, + For the wrong of men mighty + Was the may to death trodden." + + "Loud Jormunrek laughed, + And laid hand to his beard, + Nor bade bring his byrny, + But with the wine fighting, + Shook his red locks, + On his white shield sat staring, + And in his hand + Swung the gold cup on high. + + "Sweet sight for me + Those twain to set eyes on, + Sorli and Hamdir, + Here in my hall! + Then with bowstrings + Would I bind them, + And hang the good Giukings + Aloft on the gallows!" + + ***** + ***** + + Then spake Hrothglod + From off the high steps, + Spake the slim-fingered + Unto her son, -- + -- For a threat was cast forth + Of what ne'er should fall -- + "Shall two men alone + Two hundred Gothfolk + Bind or bear down + In the midst of their burg?" + + ***** + ***** + + Strife and din in the hall, + Cups smitten asunder + Men lay low in blood + From the breasts of Goths flowing. + + Then spake Hamdir, + The high-hearted: + "Thou cravedst, O king, + From the coming of us, + The sons of one mother, + Amidmost thine hall -- + Look on these hands of thine, + Look on these feet of thine, + Cast by us, Jormunrek, + On to the flame!" + + Then cried aloud + The high Gods' kinsman (2) + Bold under byrny, -- + Roared he as bears roar; + "Stones to the stout ones + That the spears bite not, + Nor the edges of steel, + These sons of Jonakr!" + + ***** + ***** + + QUOTH SORLI: + "Bale, brother, wroughtst thou + By that bag's (3) opening, + Oft from that bag + Rede of bale cometh! + Heart hast thou, Hamdir, + If thou hadst heart's wisdom + Great lack in a man + Who lacks wisdom and lore!" + + HAMDIR SAID: + "Yes, off were the head + If Erp were alive yet, + Our brother the bold + Whom we slew by the way; + The far-famed through the world -- + Ah, the fares drave me on, + And the man war made holy, + There must I slay!" + + SORLI SAID: + "Unmeet we should do + As the doings of wolves are, + Raising wrong each 'gainst other + As the dogs of the Norns, + The greedy ones nourished + In waste steads of the world. + + In strong wise have we fought, + On Goths' corpses we stand, + Beat down by our edges, + E'en as ernes on the bough. + Great fame our might winneth, + Die we now, or to-morrow, -- + No man lives till eve + Whom the fates doom at morning." + At the hall's gable-end + Fell Sorli to earth, + But Hamdir lay low + At the back of the houses. + +Now this is called the Ancient Lay of Hamdir. + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Randver, the son of their sister's husband. +(2) Odin, namely. +(3) "Bag", his mouth. + + + +THE LAMENT OF ODDRUN. + +There was a king hight Heidrik, and his daughter was called +Borgny, and the name of her lover was Vilmund. Now she might +nowise be made lighter of a child she travailed with, before +Oddrun, Atil's sister, came to her, -- she who had been the love +of Gunnar, Giuki's son. But of their speech together has this +been sung: + + I have hear tell + In ancient tales + How a may there came + To Morna-land, + Because no man + On mould abiding + For Heidrik's daughter + Might win healing. + + All that heard Oddrun, + Atil's sister, + How that the damsel + Had heavy sickness, + So she led from stall + Her bridled steed, + And on the swart one + Laid the saddle. + + She made her horse wend + O'er smooth ways of earth, + Until to a high-built + Hall she came; + Then the saddle she had + From the hungry horse, + And her ways wended + In along the wide hall, + And this word first + Spake forth therewith: + + "What is most famed, + Afield in Hunland, + Or what may be + Blithest in Hunland?" + + QUOTH THE HANDMAID: + "Here lieth Borgny, + Borne down by trouble, + Thy sweet friend, O Oddrun, + See to her helping!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Who of the lords + Hath laid this grief on her, + Why is the anguish + Of Borgny so weary?" + + THE HANDMAID SAID: + "He is hight Vilmund, + Friend of hawk-bearers, + He wrapped the damsel + In the warm bed-gear + Five winters long + Without her father's wotting." + + No more than this + They spake methinks; + Kind sat she down + By the damsel's knee; + Mightily sand Oddrun, + Sharp piercing songs + By Borgny's side: + + Till a maid and a boy + Might tread on the world's ways, + Blithe babes and sweet + Of Hogni's bane: + Then the damsel forewearied + The word took up, + The first word of all + That had won from her: + + "So may help thee + All helpful things, + Fey and Freyia, + And all the fair Gods, + As thou hast thrust + This torment from me!" + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Yet no heart had I + For thy helping, + Since never wert thou + Worthy of helping, + But my word I held to, + That of old was spoken + When the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + That every soul + I would ever help." + + BORGNY SAID: + "Right mad art thou, Oddrun, + And reft of thy wits, + Whereas thou speakest + Hard words to me + Thy fellow ever + Upon the earth + As of brothers twain, + We had been born." + + ODDRUN SAID: + "Well I mind me yet, + What thou saidst that evening, + Whenas I bore forth + Fair drink for Gunnar; + Such a thing, saidst thou, + Should fall out never, + For any may + Save for me alone." + + Mind had the damsel + Of the weary day + Whenas the high lords + Dealt out the heritage, + And she sat her down, + The sorrowful woman, + To tell of the bale, + And the heavy trouble. + + "Nourished was I + In the hall of kings -- + Most folk were glad -- + 'Mid the council of great ones: + In fair life lived I, + And the wealth of my father + For five winters only, + While yet he had life. + + "Such were the last words + That ever he spake, + The king forewearied, + Ere his ways he went; + For be bade folk give me + The gold red-gleaming, + And give me in Southlands + To the son of Grimhild. + + "But Brynhild he bade + To the helm to betake her, + And said that Death-chooser + She should become; + And that no better + Might ever be born + Into the world, + If fate would not spoil it. + + "Brynhild in bower + Sewed at her broidery, + Folk she had + And fair lands about her; + Earth lay a-sleeping, + Slept the heavens aloft + When Fafnir's-bane + The burg first saw. + + "Then was war waged + With the Welsh-wrought sword + And the burg all broken + That Brynhild owned; + Nor wore long space, + E'en as well might be, + Ere all those wiles + Full well she knew. + + "Hard and dreadful + Was the vengeance she drew down, + So that all we + Have woe enow. + Through all lands of the world + Shall that story fare forth + How she did her to death + For the death of Sigurd. + + "But therewithal Gunnar + The gold-scatterer + Did I fall to loving + And should have loved him. + Rings of red gold + Would they give to Atli, + Would give to my brother + Things goodly and great. + + "Yea, fifteen steads + Would they give for me, + And the load of Grani + To have as a gift; + But then spake Atli, + That such was his will, + Never gift to take + From the sons of Giuki. + + "But we in nowise + Might love withstand, + And mine head must I lay + On my love, the ring-breaker; + And many there were + Among my kin, + Who said that they + Had seen us together. + + "Then Atli said + That I surely never + Would fall to crime + Or shameful folly: + But now let no one + For any other, + That shame deny + Where love has dealing. + + "For Atli sent + His serving-folk + Wide through the murkwood + Proof to win of me, + And thither they came + Where they ne'er should have come, + Where one bed we twain + Had dight betwixt us. + + "To those men had we given + Rings of red gold, + Naught to tell + Thereof to Atli, + But straight they hastened + Home to the house, + And all the tale + To Atli told. + + 'Whereas from Gudrun + Well they hid it, + Though better by half + Had she have known it. + + ***** + ***** + + "Din was there to hear + Of the hoofs gold-shod, + When into the garth + Rode the sons of Giuki. + + "There from Hogni + The heart they cut, + But into the worm-close + Cast the other. + There the king, the wise-hearted, + Swept his harp-strings, + For the might king + Had ever mind + That I to his helping + Soon should come. + + "But now was I gone + Yet once again + Unto Geirmund, + Good feast to make; + Yet had I hearing, + E'en out from Hlesey, + How of sore trouble + The harp-strings sang. + + "So I bade the bondmaids + Be ready swiftly, + For I listed to save + The life of the king, + And we let our ship + Swim over the sound, + Till Atli's dwelling + We saw all clearly. + + Then came the wretch (1) + Crawling out, + E'en Atli's mother, + All sorrow upon her! + A grave gat her sting + In the heart of Gunnar, + So that no helping + Was left for my hero. + + "O gold-clad woman, + Full oft I wonder + How I my life + Still hold thereafter, + For methought I loved + That light in battle, + The swift with the sword, + As my very self. + + "Thou hast sat and hearkened + As I have told thee + Of many an ill-fate, + Mine and theirs -- + Each man liveth + E'en as he may live -- + Now hath gone forth + The greeting of Oddrun." + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Atli's mother took the form of the only adder that was not + lulled to sleep by Gunnar's harp-playing, and who slew him. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Story of the Volsungs + diff --git a/old/old/vlsng10.zip b/old/old/vlsng10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8710600 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/old/vlsng10.zip |