The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson
if thou canst help her.
_Oddrun_.
6. What chieftain has on thee brought this dishonour? Why so acute
are Borgny's pains?
_Borgny_.
7. Vilmund is named the falcon-bearer's friend: he the damsel wrapt
in a warm coverlet five whole winters, so that from her father she was
hidden.
8. They, I ween, spoke not more than this: kindly she went to sit at
the damsel's knee. Vehemently sang Oddrun, fervently sang Oddrun songs
of power over Borgny.
9. A girl and boy might then tread the mould-way, gentle babes, born
of Hogni's bane. Then began to speak the death-sick damsel, who before
had no word uttered.
10. "So may thee help the benignant genii, Frigg and Freyia, and
other gods besides, as thou hast from me peril removed!"
11. "I was not inclined to give thee help, because thou never wast
of succour worthy: I vowed, and have performed what I then said--when
the princes the heritage divided, that I would ever help afford."
_Borgny_.
12. Mad art thou, Oddrun! and hast lost thy wits, when in hostile
spirit most of thy words thou utterest; for I have been thy companion
upon the earth, as if from brothers we both were born.
_Oddrun_.
13. I remember yet what thou one evening saidst, when I for Gunnar,
a compotation made. Such a case, saidst thou, would not thenceforth
happen, to any maiden, save to me alone."
14. Then sat down the sorrowing lady to tell her woes, from her
great grief:
15. "I was nurtured in the kingly hall, I was the joy of many in the
council of men. Life I enjoyed, and my father's wealth, five winters
only, while my father lived.
16. These last words the noble-hearted king strove to utter, ere he
departed hence.
17. He bade me be endowed with ruddy gold, and in the south be given
to Grimhild's son. He said no maiden could more excellent in the world
be born, if fate willed it not otherwise.
18. Brynhild in her bower was occupied in broidery: she had people
and lands around her. Earth slumbered, and the heavens above, when
Fafnir's bane her burgh first saw.
19. Then was conflict waged with the Walish sword, and the burgh
taken which Brynhild owned. It was not long--which was not
surprising--ere she discovered all those frauds.
20. These she caused cruelly to be avenged, so that we all have
great afflictions. Known it will be through every land of men, that
she caused herself to die with Sigurd.
21. But I for Gunnar, rings' dispenser, love conceived, such as
Brynhild should. But he Brynhild bade a helmet take, said she a
Valkyria should become.
22. They forthwith offered[93] ruddy rings to my brother, and
indemnity not small. He[94] besides offered for me fifteen vills, and
the load of Grani's sides, if he would accept them.
23. But Atli said he never would a marriage-gift receive from
Giuki's son. Still we could not our loves withstand, but I my head
must lay upon the ring-breaker.
24. Many things said my relations; declared they had surprised us
both together; but Atli said, that I would not crime commit, nor
scandal perpetrate. But such should no one for another ever deny, when
love has part.
25. Atli sent his emissaries about the Murkwood, that he might prove
me; and they came to where they ought not to have come, to where we
had one couch prepared.
26. To the men we offered red-gold rings, that they it might not to
Atli tell; but they forthwith hastened home, and it quickly to Atli
told.
27. But they from Gudrun carefully concealed it, yet rather by half
she should have known it.[95]
28. A sound was heard of gold-shod hoofs, when into the court rode
Giuki's heirs. * * * Of Hogni they the heart cut out, and into a
serpent-pen the other cast.
29. I had gone yet once again to Geirmund, to prepare a banquet. * *
* The brave king[96] began the harp to sound; for the prince of noble
race hoped that I to his aid might come.
30. I it heard from Hlesey, how of trouble there the harp-strings
sang.
31. I my thralls bade all be ready: I the prince's life would save.
The vessel we let float past the forest,[97] until I saw all Atli's
courts.
32. Then came Atli's miserable mother crawling forth:--may she
perish!--she Gunnar pierced to the heart; so that the hero I could not
save.
33. Oftentimes I wonder, woman gold-adorned![98] how I after can
life retain; for I seemed the formidable sword-dispenser as myself to
love:
34. Thou sitst and listenest, while I recount to thee many an evil
fate, my own and theirs." Each one lives as he best may. Now is ended
_Oddrun's lament_.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 93: For Brynhild's death.]
[Footnote 94: Gunnar.]
[Footnote 95: From here the narrative appears to be very fragmentary.]
[Footnote 96: Gunnar while in the serpent-pen.]
[Footnote 97: For "lund" (_forest, wood_), which is the reading of the
MSS., the Copenhagen editor favors the correction to sund (a _sound_
or _strait, the Sound_)?]
[Footnote 98: Borgny.]
THE LAY OF ATLI.
Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenged her brothers, as is well known. She
first killed Atli's sons, and afterwards Atli himself, and burnt the
palace with all the household. On these events was this lay composed.
1. Atli sent riding a messenger to Gunnar, a crafty man, Knefrud was
his name. To Giuki's courts he came, and to Gunnar's hall, to the
seats of state,[99] and the glad potation:
2. There drank the courtiers wine in their Valhall--but the guileful
ones[100] silence kept--the Huns' wrath they[101] feared. Then said
Knefrud, with chilling voice:--the southern warrior on a high bench
sat--
3. "Atli has sent me hither on his errand riding on a bit-griping
steed, through the unknown Murkwood, to pray you, Gunnar! that to his
bench ye come, with helms of state, Atli's home to visit.
4. "Shields ye there can choose, and smooth-shaven spears, gold-red
helms, and of Huns a multitude, silver-gilt saddle-cloths, sarks
gory-red, the dart's obstruction, and bit-griping steeds.
5. "The plain he will also give you, the broad Gnitaheid, whistling
javelins, and gilded prows, vast treasures, and Danp's towns, with
that famed forest, which men the Murkwood call."
6. Gunnar his head then turned, and to Hogni said: "What counselest
thou, bold warrior? now suchlike we hear? Of no gold I knew on Gnita's
heath, to which we possess not other equal.
7. "Seven halls have we filled with swords, of each of which the
hilt is gold. My horse I know the best, and my sword the keenest; my
bow adorns my seat, my corslets are of gold, my helm and shield the
brightest, brought from the hall of Kiar: mine alone are better than
all the Hunnish ones.
8. "What thinkest thou the woman[102] means, by sending us a ring in
a wolf's clothing wrapt? I think that she caution enjoins. Wolf's hair
I found twined in the red-gold ring: wolfish is the way we on our
errand ride."
9. No sons persuaded Gunnar, nor other kinsman, interpreters nor
counsellors, nor those who potent were. Then spake Gunnar, as beseemed
a king, great in his mead-hall, from his large soul:
10. "Rise now up, Fiornir! let along the benches pass the golden
cups of heroes, from the attendants' hands.
11. "The wolf shall rule the Niflungs' heritage, O bearded sages! if
Gunnar perish; black-coated bears earth's fruit tear with their teeth,
to the dogs' delight, if Gunnar come not back."
12. Honoured men, weeping led the land's ruler from the Huns'
court. Then said Hogni's youthful heir: "Go now, prudent and
prosperous, whither your wishes lead."
13. The warriors made their bit-griping steeds over the mountains
fly, through the unknown Murkwood. The whole Hunnish forest trembled
where'er the warriors rode; over the shrubless, all-green plains they
sped.
14. Atli's land they saw, and the high watch-towers; Bikki's people
stood on that lofty fortress; the south people's hall was round with
benches set, with well-bound bucklers, and white shields, the
javelin's obstruction. There Atli drank wine in his Valhall: his
guards sat without, Gunnar and his men to watch, lest they there
should come with yelling dart, to excite their prince to conflict.
15. Their sister forthwith saw, when the hall they had entered, her
brothers both--beer had she little drunken--"Betrayed art thou now,
Gunnar! though strong, how wilt thou contend with the Huns' deadly
wiles? Go quickly from this hall!
16. "Better hadst thou, Gunnar! in corslet come, than with helm of
state, to see the home of Atli; thou in the saddle wouldst have sat
whole sun-bright days, and o'er the pallid dead let the Norns weep,
the Hunnish shield-maids misery suffer; but Atli himself thou shouldst
into the serpent-pen have cast; but now the serpent-pen is for you two
reserved."
17. "Sister! 'tis now too late the Niflungs to assemble, long 'tis
to seek the aid of men, of valiant heroes, over the rugged fells of
Rhine."
18. Then the Burgundians' friends[103] Gunnar seized, in fetters
laid, and him fast bound.
19. Hogni hewed down seven, with the keen sword, but the eighth he
thrust into the raging fire. So should a valiant man defend himself
from foes.
20. Hogni had Gunnar's hands[104] protected. The bold chief they
asked, if the Goths' lord would with gold his life redeem?
21. "Hogni's heart in my hand shall lie, cut bloody from the breast
of the valiant chief, the king's son, with a dull-edged knife." * * *
They the heart cut out from Hialli's breast; on a dish bleeding laid
it, and it to Gunnar bare.
23. Then said Gunnar, lord of men: "Here have I the heart of the
timid Hialli, unlike the heart of the bold Hogni; for much it trembles
as in the dish it lies: it trembled more by half, while in his breast
it lay."
24. Hogni laughed, when to his heart they cut the living
crest-crasher; no lament uttered he. All bleeding on a dish they laid
it, and it to Gunnar bare.
25. Calmly said Gunnar, the warrior Niflung: "Here have I the heart
of the bold Hogni, unlike the heart of the timid Hialli; for it little
trembles, as in the dish it lies: it trembled less, while in his
breast it lay.
26. "So far shalt thou, Atli! be from the eyes of men as thou wilt
from the treasures be. In my power alone is all the hidden Niflungs'
gold, now that Hogni lives not.
27. "Ever was I wavering, while we both lived; now am I so no
longer, as I alone survive. Rhine shall possess men's baleful metal,
the mighty stream, the As-known Niflungs' heritage. In the rolling
water the choice rings shall glitter, rather than on the hands of the
Huns' children shine.
28. "Drive your wheel-chariots, the captive is now in bonds."
29. Atli the mighty, their sister's husband, rode with resounding
steeds, with strife-thorns[105] surrounded. Gudrun perceived the
heroes' peril, she from tears refrained, on entering the hall of
tumult.
30. "So be it with thee, Atli! as towards Gunnar thou hast held the
oft-sworn oaths, formerly taken--by the southward verging sun, and by
Sigty's hill, the secluded bed of rest, and by Ullr's ring." Yet
thence the more did the bit-shaker[106] the treasure's guardian, the
warrior chief, drag to death.
31. The living prince then did a host of men into a pen cast down,
which was within with serpents over-crawled. But Gunnar there alone a
harp in wrathful mood with his hand struck: the strings resounded. So
should a daring chief, a ring-dispenser, gold from men withhold.
32. Atli turned his brass-shod[107] steed, his home to revisit, back
from the murder. Din was in the court with horses thronged, men's
weapon-song, from the heath they were come.
33. Out then went Gudrun, Atli to meet, with a golden cup to do her
duty to the king. "Thou canst, O King! joyful in thy hall receive
from Gudrun the arms of the departed."
34. The drinking-cups of Atli groaned with wine heavy, when in the