The Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson; and the Younger Eddas of Snorre Sturleson
47. Saw then the high-born lady that a hard game they played; a
deadly deed she meditated, and her robe dashed aside, a naked falchion
seized, and her kinsmen's lives defended: skilful she was in warfare,
where her hand she applied.
48. Giuki's daughter caused two warriors to fall; Atli's brother she
struck down,--he must henceforth be borne--so she the conflict
managed, that she his foot struck off. Another too she smote, so that
he never rose, to Hel she sent him: her hand trembled not.
49. A conflict then ensued, which was widely famed, but that
excelled all else which Giuki's sons performed. So 'tis said the
Niflungs, while yet they lived, with swords maintained the fight,
corslets rent, helmets hewed, as their hearts prompted.
50. At morning most they fought, until mid-day had passed; all early
morn, and the forenoon, ere the fight was ended, the field flowed with
blood, until eighteen had fallen: Bera's two sons, and her brother,
had them overcome.
51. Then the fierce Atli spoke, wroth though he was: "'Tis ill to
look around; this is long of you. We were thirty warlike thanes,
eleven survive: the chasm is too great. We were five brothers, when
Budli died; now has Hel the half, two lie slain.
52. "A great affinity I obtained, that I cannot deny, pernicious
woman! of which I have no benefit: peace we have seldom had, since
thou among us camest. Of kinsmen ye have bereft me, of riches often
wronged. To Hel my sister ye have sent; that is to me most bitter."
_Gudrun_.
53. "This thou callest to mind, Atli! but thou so first didst act:
my mother thou didst take, and for her treasures murder; my gifted
niece with hunger thou didst cause to perish. Laughable to me it
seems, when thou sorrows dost recount. The gods are to be thanked,
that it goes ill with thee."
_Atli_.
54. Jarls! I exhort you the sorrow to augment of that presumptuous
woman: I would fain see it. Strive so to do, that Gudrun may lament.
Might I but see that in her lot she joys not!
55. Take ye Hogni, and with a knife hack him: cut out his heart:
this ye shall do. Gunnar the fierce of soul to a gallows fasten; do
the work thoroughly, lure up the serpents.
_Hogni_.
56. Do as thou listest, glad I will await it; stout I shall prove
myself: I have ere now things much harder proved. Ye had a hindrance
while unscathed we were: now are we so wounded that our fate thou
mayest command.
57. Beiti spake,--he was Atli's steward--Take we Hialli, but Hogni
let us save. Let us do half the work; he is death-worthy. As long as
he lives a slug he will ever be.
58. Terrified was the kettle-watcher, the place no longer held him:
he could be a whiner, he clomb into every nook: their conflict was his
bane, as he the penalty must pay; and the day sad, when he must from
the swine die, from all good things, which he had enjoyed.
59. Budli's cook they took, and the knife brought towards him.
Howled the wretched thrall, ere the point he felt; declared that he
had time the gardens to manure, the vilest offices to do, if from
death he might escape. Joyful indeed was Hialli, could he but save his
life.
60. Hogni all this observed--few so act, as for a slave to
intercede, that he may escape!--"Less 'tis, I say, for me to play this
game myself. Why shall we here desire to listen to that screaming?"
61. Hands on the good prince they laid. Then was no option for the
bold warriors, the sentence longer to delay. Then laughed Hogni;
heard the sons of day how he could hold out: torment he well endured!
62. A harp Gunnar took, with his foot-branches touched it. He could
so strike it, that women wept, and the men sobbed, who best could hear
it. He the noble queen counselled: the rafters burst asunder.
63. There died the noble, as the dawn of day; at the last they
caused their deeds to live.
64. Atli thought himself great: over them both he strode, to the
sagacious woman told the evil, and bitterly reproached her. "It is now
morning, Gudrun! thy loved ones thou hast lost; partly thou art the
cause that it has so befallen."
_Gudrun_.
65. Joyful art thou, Atli! slaughter to announce: repentance shall
await thee, when thou hast all proved. That heritage shall be left
thee--that I can tell thee--that ill shall never from thee go, unless
I also die.
_Atli_.
66. That I can prevent; another course I see, easier by half: the
good we oft reject. With slaves I will console thee, with things most
precious, with snow-white silver, as thou thyself mayest desire.
_Gudrun_.
67. Of that there is _no_ hope; I will all reject; atonement I have
spurned for smaller injuries. Hard I was ever thought, now will that
be aggravated. I every grudge concealed, while Hogni lived.
68. We were both nurtured in one house; many a play we played, and
in the wood grew up; Grimhild us adorned with gold and necklaces; for
my brothers' death never wilt thou indemnify me, nor ever do what
shall to me seem good.
69. Men's too great power women's lot oppresses; on the knee the
hand sinks, if the arms wither; the tree inclines, if its root-fibres
are severed. Now, Atli! thou mayest alone over all here command.
70. Most unwise it was, when to this the prince gave credit: the
guile was manifest, had he been on his guard. Dissembling then was
Gudrun, against her heart she could speak, made herself gay appear,
with two shields she played.[114]
71. A banquet she would prepare, her brothers' funeral feast; the
same would Atli also for his own do.
72. With this they ended; the banquet was prepared; the feasting was
too luxurious. The woman great of heart was stern, she warred on
Budli's race; on her spouse she would cruel vengeance wreak.
73. The young ones she enticed, and on a block laid them, the fierce
babes were terrified, and wept not, to their mother's bosom crept,
asked what she was going to do.
74. "Ask no questions, both I intend to kill; long have I desired to
cut short your days."
75. "Slay as thou wilt thy children, no one hinders it; thy rage
will have short peace, if thou destroyest us in our blooming years,
thou desperate woman!" It fell out accordingly: she cut the throats of
both.
76. Atli oft inquired whither his boys were gone to play, as he
nowhere saw them?
_Gudrun._
77. Over I am resolved to go, and to Atli tell it. Grimhild's
daughter will not conceal it from thee. Little glad, Atli! wilt thou
be, when all thou learnest; great woe didst thou raise up, when thou
my brother slewest.
78. Very seldom have I slept since they fell. Bitterly I threatened
thee: now I have reminded thee. "It is now morning," saidst thou: I
yet it well remember; and it now is eve, when thou the like shalt
learn.
79. Thou thy sons hast lost, as thou least shouldest; know that
their skulls thou hast had for beer-cups; thy drink I prepared, I
their red blood have shed.
80. I their hearts took, and on a spit staked them, then to thee
gave them. I said they were of calves,--it was long of thee
alone--thou didst leave none, voraciously didst devour, well didst ply
thy teeth.
81. Thy children's fate thou knowest, few a worse awaits. I have my
part performed, though in it glory not.
_Atli._
82. Cruel wast thou, Gudrun! who couldst so act, with thy children's
blood my drink to mingle. Thou hast destroyed thy offspring, as thou
least shouldest; and to myself thou leavest a short interval from ill.
_Gudrun._
83. I could still desire thyself to slay; rarely too ill it fares
with such a prince. Thou hast already perpetrated crimes unexampled
among men of frantic cruelty, in this world: now thou hast added what
we have just witnessed. A great misdeed hast thou committed, thy
death-feast thou hast prepared.
_Atli._
84. On the pile thou shalt be burnt, but first be stoned; then wilt
thou have earned what thou hast ever sought.
_Gudrun._
85. Tell to thyself such griefs early to-morrow: by a fairer death I
will pass to another light.
86. In the same hall they sat, exchanged hostile thoughts, bandied
words of hate: each was ill at ease.
87. Hate waxed in a Hniflung, a great deed he meditated; to Gudrun
he declared that he was Atli's deadly foe.
88. Into her mind came Hogni's treatment; happy she him accounted,
if he vengeance wreaked. Then was Atli slain, within a little space;
Hogni's son him slew, and Gudrun herself.
89. The bold king spake, roused up from sleep; quickly he felt the
wounds, said he no binding needed. "Tell me most truly who has slain
Budli's son. I am hardly treated: of life I have no hope."
_Gudrun._
90. I, Grimhild's daughter, will not from thee hide, that I am the
cause that thy life passes away; but partly Hogni's son, that thy
wounds make thee faint.
_Atli._
91. To the slaughter thou hast rushed, although it ill beseemed
thee; 'tis bad to circumvent a friend, who well confided in thee.
Besought I went from home, to woo thee, Gudrun!
92. A widow thou was left, fierce thou wast accounted, which was no
falsehood, as we have proved. Hither home thou earnest, us a host of
men attended; all was splendid on our journey.
93. Pomp of all kinds was there, of illustrious men, beeves in
abundance: largely we enjoyed them. Of all things there was plenty
partaken of by many.
94. A marriage gift to my bride I gave, treasures for her
acceptance, thralls thrice ten, seven fair female slaves: in such
things was honour; silver there was yet more.
95. All seemed to thee as it were naught, while the lands untouched
lay, which Budli had left me. So didst thou undermine, dist allow me
nothing to receive. Thou didst my mother let often sit weeping: with
heart content I found not one of my household after.
_Gudrun._
96. Now, Atli! thou liest, though of that I little reck. Gentle I
seldom was, yet didst thou greatly aggravate it. Young brothers ye
fought together, among yourselves contended; to Hel went the half from
thy house: all went to ruin that should be for benefit.
97. Brothers and sisters we were three, we thought ourselves
invincible: from the land we departed, we followed Sigurd. We roved
about, each steered a ship; seeking luck we went, till to the east we
came.
98. The chief king we slew, there a land obtained, the "hersar"
yielded to us; that manifested fear. We from the forest freed him whom
we wished harmless, raised him to prosperity who nothing had
possessed.
99. The Hun king[115] died, then suddenly my fortune changed: great
was the young wife's grief, the widow's lot was hers. A torment to me
it seemed to come living to the house of Atli. A hero had possessed
me: sad was that loss!
100. Thou didst never from a contest come, as we had heard, where
thou didst gain thy cause, or others overcome; ever wouldst thou give
way, and never stand, lettest all pass off quietly, as ill beseemed a
king.
_Atli._
101. Gudrun! now thou liest. Little will be bettered the lot of
either: we have all suffered. Now act thou, Gudrun! of thy goodness,
and for our honour, when I forth am borne.
_Gudrun._
102. I a ship will buy, and a painted cist;[116] will the
winding-sheet well wax, to enwrap thy corpse; will think of every
requisite, as if we had each other loved.
103. Atli was now a corpse, lament from his kin arose: the
illustrious woman did all she had promised. The wise woman would go to
destroy herself; her days were lengthened: she died another time.
104. Happy is every one hereafter who shall give birth to such a
daughter famed for deeds, as Giuki begat: ever will live, in every
land, their oft-told tale, wherever people shall give ear.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 109: The messengers.]
[Footnote 110: It would seem that the original runes, as graved by
Gudrun, had not been so completely erased as to leave no traces of