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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> |