Guðrúnarkviðar II

King Theodric was with Atli, and had there lost the greater number of his men. Theodric and Gudrún mutually bewailed their afflictions. She related to him and said:

1.
A maid above all maids I was;
my mother reared me
bright in her bower;
my brothers I much loved,
until me Giúki,
with gold adorned,
with gold adorned,
to Sigurd gave.

2.
Such as Sigurd
above Giúki’s sons,
as the green leek is,
springing from the grass,
or the high-limbed hart
above the savage beasts,
or the gleed-red gold
above grey silver.

3.
Until my brothers
the possession grudged me
of a consort
to all superior.
They could not sleep,
nor on affairs deliberate,
before they Sigurd
had caused to die.

4.
Grani to the assembly ran,
his tramp was to be heard;
but Sigurd then
himself came not.
All the saddle-beasts
were splashed with blood,
and with sweating faint,
from the murderers.

5.
Weeping I went
to talk to Grani,
with humid cheeks,
I prayed the steed to tell:
then Grani shuddered,
in the grass bowed down his head.
The steed knew
that his master was no more.

6.
Long I wandered,
long was my mind distracted,
ere of the people’s guardian
I inquired for my king.

7.
Gunnar hung his head,
but Högni told me
of Sigurd’s cruel death.
“Beyond the river
slaughtered lies
Guthorm’s murderer,
and to the wolves given.

8.
Yonder behold Sigurd,
towards the south,
there thou wilt hear
the ravens croak,
the eagles scream,
in their feast exulting;
the wolves howling
round thy consort.”

9.
“Why wilt thou, Högni!
to a joyless being
such miseries recount?
May thy heart by ravens
be torn and scattered
over the wide world,
rather than thou shouldst
walk with men.”

10.
Högni answered,
for once cast down,
from his cheerful mood
by intense trouble:
“Gudrún! thou wouldst have
greater cause to weep,
if the ravens
should tear my heart.”

11.
Alone I turned
from that interview
to the wolves’
scattered leavings.
No sigh I uttered,
nor with my hands beat,
nor wailed,
as other women,
when I heart-broken sat
by Sigurd.

12.
Night seemed to me
of blackest darkness,
when I sorrowing sat
by Sigurd.
Better by far
it seemed to me
had the wolves
taken my life,
or I had been burnt
as a birchen tree.

13.
From the fell I journeyed
five long days and nights,
until the lofty hall
of Hálf I recognized.
Seven half-years
I with Thora stayed,
Hákon’s daughter,
in Denmark.

14.
She for my solace
wrought in gold
southern halls,
and Danish swans.

15.
We had in pictures
the game of warriors,
and in handiworks
a prince’s nobles;
red shields,
Hunnish heroes,
a sworded host, a helmed host,
a prince’s following.

16.
Sigmund’s ships
from the land sailing,
with gilded heads,
and carved prows.
We on our canvas wrought
how Sigar and Siggeir
both contended
southward in Fyen.

17.
When Grimhild,
the Gothic woman,
heard how greatly
I was afflicted,
she cast aside her needlework,
and her sons called
oft and earnestly,
that she might know,
who for her son would
their sister compensate,
or for her consort slain
the blood-fine pay?

18.
Gunnar was ready
gold to offer,
for the injuries to atone,
and Högni also.
*        *          *
*        *          *
She then inquired
who would go
the steeds to saddle,
the chariot to drive,
on horseback ride,
the hawk let fly,
arrows shoot
from the yew bow?

19.
Valdar and the Danes
with Jarizleif,
Eymód the third
with Jarizkar,
then entered,
to princes like.
Red mantles had
the Langbard’s men,
corslets ornamented,
towering helms;
girded they were with falchions,
brown were their locks.

20.
For me each one would choose
precious gifts,
precious gifts,
and to my heart would speak,
if for my many woes
they might
gain my confidence,
and I would in them trust.

21.
Grimhild to me brought
a potion to drink
cold and bitter,
that I my injuries might forget;
it was mingled
with Urd’s power,
with cold sea-water,
and with Són’s blood.

22.
In that horn were
characters of every kind
graven and red-hued;
nor could I comprehend them:
the long lyng-fish
of the Haddings’ land,
an uncut ear of corn:
the wild-beasts’ entrance.

23.
In that potion were
many ills together,
a herb from every wood,
and the acorn,
the fire-stead’s dew,
entrails of offerings,
swine’s liver seethed;
for that deadens strife.

24.
And then I forgot,
when I had taken it,
all the king’s words
in the hall spoken.
There to my feet
three kings came,
before she herself
sought to speak with me.

25.
“Gudrún! I will give thee
gold to possess,
of all the riches much
of thy dead father;
rings of red gold,
Hlödver’s halls,
all the hangings
left by the fallen king.

26.
Hunnish maids,
those who weave tapestry,
and in bright gold work,
so that I may delight thee.
Over Budli’s wealth
thou alone shalt rule,
adorned with gold,
and given to Atli.”

27.
“I will not
have any man,
nor Brynhild’s
brother marry:
it beseems me not
with Budli’s son
to increase a race,
or life enjoy.”

28.
“Take care not to pay
the chiefs with hate;
for ‘tis we who have
been the aggressors:
so shouldst thou act
as if yet lived
Sigurd and Sigmund,
if sons thou bearest.”

29.
“Grimhild! I cannot
in mirth indulge,
nor, for my hero’s sake,
cherish a hope,
since the bloodthirsty [wolf and] raven
have together
cruelly drunk
my Sigurd’s heart’s blood.”

30.
“Him of all
I have found to be
a king of noblest race,
and in much most excellent:
him shalt thou have
until age lays thee low,
or mateless be,
if him thou wilt not take.”

31.
“Cease to offer
that cup of ills
so pertinaciously,
that race to me:
he will Gunnar’s
destruction perpetrate,
and will cut out
Högni’s heart.
I will not cease
until the exulting
strife-exciter’s life
I shall have taken.”

32.
Weeping Grimhild
caught the words,
by which to her sons
Gudrún forboded evil,
and to her kindred
dire misfortunes.
“Lands I will also give thee,
people and followers,
Vinbiörg and Valbiörg,
if thou wilt accept them;
for life possess them,
and be happy, daughter!”

33.
“Him then I will choose,
among the kings,
and from my relatives
reluctantly receive him.
Never will he be to me
a welcome consort,
nor my brothers’ bale
a protection to our sons.”

34.
Forthwith on horseback was
each warrior to be seen;
but the Walish women
were in chariots placed.
For seven days
o’er a cold land we rode;
but the second seven,
we beat the waves;
and the third seven,
we reached dry land.

35.
There the gate-wards
of the lofty burgh
the latticed entrance opened,
ere the court we entered.
*          *          *
*          *          *

36.
Atli waked me,
but I seemed to be
full of evil thoughts,
for my kinsmen’s death.

37.
“So me just now
have the Norns waked,-
a grateful interpretation
I fain would have.-
Methought that thou, Gudrún!
Giuki’s daughter!
with a treacherous sword
didst pierce me through.”

38.
“Fire it forebodes,
when one of iron dreams,
arrogance and pleasure,
a woman’s anger.
Against evil
I will go burn thee,
cure and medicate thee,
although to me thou art hateful.”

39.
“Seemed to me here in the garden
that young shoots had fallen,
which I wished
to let grow:
torn up with their roots
reddened with blood,
to table were they brought,
and offered me to eat.

40.
Seemed to me that hawks
flew from my hand,
lacking their quarry,
to the house of woes;
seemed to me I ate
their hearts with honey
swollen with blood,
with sorrowing mind.

41.
Seemed to me from my hand
whelps I let slip;
lacking cause of joy,
both of them howled:
seemed to me their bodies
became dead carcases:
of the carrion
I was compelled to eat.”

42.
“There will warriors
round thy couch converse,
and of the white-locked ones
take off the head;
death-doomed they are
within a few nights,
a little ere day:
thy court will eat of them.”

43.
“Lie down I would not,
nor sleep after,
obstinate in my fate –
That I will execute!”