Grípisspá

Gripir was the name of the son of Eylimi, the brother of Hiördis. He ruled over lands, and was of all men wisest and prescient of the future. Sigurd rode alone, and came to Gripir’s dwelling. Sigurd was of a distinguished figure. He found a man to address outside the hall, whose name was Geitir. Sigurd applied to him, and asked:

1.
Who here inhabits,
in these towers?
what nation’s king
do people name him?

Geitir
Gripir is named
the chief of men,
he who rules
a firm realm and people.

Sigurd
2.
Is the wise king
of the land at home?
Will the chief with me
come and converse?
With him needs speech
an unknown man:
I desire speedily
Gripir to see.

Geitir
3.
The glad king will
of Geitir ask,
who the man is
that demands speech of Gripir.

Sigurd
Sigurd I am named,
born of Sigmund,
and Hiördis is
the chieftain’s mother.

4.
Then went Geitir,
Gripir to inform:
“Here is a man without,
a stranger, come;
of aspect he
is most distinguished.
He desires, king!
with thee to speak.”

5.
Goes from the hall
the lord of men,
and the stranger prince
kindly greets:
“Welcome, Sigurd!
better had it been earlier;
but do thou, Geitir!
take charge of Grani.”

6.
They began to talk,
and much to tell,
when the sagacious men
together met.
“Tell me, if thou knowest,
my mother’s brother!
how will Sigurd’s
life fall out?”

Gripir
7.
Thou wilt foremost be
of men beneath the sun,
exalted high above
every king;
liberal of gold,
but of flight sparing,
of aspect comely,
and wise of words.

Sigurd
8.
Say thou, sage king!
more than I ask,
thou wise one, to Sigurd,
if thou thinkst to see it:
what will first happen
for my advancement,
when from thy dwelling
I shall have departed?

Gripir
9.
First wilt thou, prince!
avenge thy father,
and for the wrongs of Eylimi
wilt retaliate;
thou wilt the cruel
sons of Hunding
boldly lay low;
thou wilt have victory.

Sigurd
10.
Say, noble king!
kinsman mine!
with all forethought,
as we hold friendly converse;
seest thou of Sigurd
those bold achievements,
that will highest soar
under heaven’s regions?”

Gripir
11.
Thou alone wilt slay
that glistening serpent,
which greedy lies
on Gnítaheid;
thou shalt of both
the slayer be,
Regin and Fafnir.
Gripir tells truly.

Sigurd
12.
Riches will abound,
if I so bring
conflict among men,
as thou for certain sayest.
Apply thy mind,
and at length say
what will yet
my life befall.

Gripir
13.
Thou wilt find
Fafnir’s lair,
and thence wilt take
splendid riches,
with gold wilt load
Grani’s back.
Thou wilt to Giuki ride,
the war-famed prince.

Sigurd
14.
Yet must thou, prince!
in friendly speech,
foresighted king!
more relate.
I shall be Giuki’s guest,
and I shall thence depart:
what will next
my life befall?

Gripir
15.
A king’s daughter
will on a mountain sleep,
fair, in corslet cased,
after Helgi’s death.
Thou wilt strike
with a keen sword,
wilt the corslet sever
with Fafnir’s bane.

Sigurd
16.
The corslet is ript open,
the maid begins to speak.
When awakened
from her sleep,
on what will she chiefly
with Sigurd converse hold,
which to the prince’s
benefit may tend?

Gripir
17.
She to thee, powerful one!
runes will teach,
all those which men
ought to know;
and in every man’s
tongue to speak,
and medicines for healing.
May good await thee, king!

Sigurd
18.
Now that is past,
the knowledge is acquired,
and I am ready thence
away to ride.
Apply thy mind,
and at length say
what more will
my life befall.

Gripir
19.
Thou wilt find
Heimir’s dwellings,
and the glad guest wilt be
of that great king.
Vanished is, Sigurd!
that which I foresaw;
no further mayest thou
Gripir question.

Sigurd
20.
Now bring me grief
the words thou speakest;
for thou foreseest, king!
much further;
thou knowest of too great
calamity to Sigurd;
therefore thou, Gripir!
wilt not utter it.

Gripir
21.
Of thy life
the early portion
lay before me
clearest to contemplate.
I am not truly
accounted sage,
nor of the future prescient:
that which I knew is gone.

Sigurd
22.
No man I know
on the earth’s surface,
who greater prescience has
than thou, Gripir!
Thou mayest not conceal it,
unhappy though it be,
or if ill betide
my life.

Gripir
23.
Not with vices will
thy life be sullied;
let that, noble prince!
in thy mind be borne;
for while mankind exists,
thy name,
director of spear-storm!
will be supreme.

Sigurd
24.
The worst seems to me,
that Sigurd is compelled
from the king to part
in such uncertainty.
Show me the way –
all is decreed before –
great chieftain! if thou wilt,
my mother’s brother!

Gripir
25.
To Sigurd I will now
openly tell,
since the chieftain me
thereto compels:
thou wilt surely find
that I lie not.
A certain day is
for thy death decreed.

Sigurd
26.
I would not importune
the mighty prince,
but rather Gripir’s
good counsel have.
Now I fain would know,
though grateful it may not be,
what prospect Sigurd has
lying before him.

Gripir
27.
There is with Heimir
a maiden fair of form,
she is by men
Brynhild named,
daughter of Budli;
but the dear king
Heimir nurtures
the hard-souled damsel.

Sigurd
28.
What is it to me,
although the maiden be
of aspect fair?
nurtured with Heimir?
That thou, Gripir! must
fully declare;
for thou forseest
my whole destiny.

Gripir
29.
She will thee bereave
of almost every joy,
the fair-faced
foster-child of Heimir.
Thou wilt not sleep
nor of affairs discourse,
nor men regard;
only this maiden thou wilt see.

Sigurd
30.
What remedy for Sigurd
will be applied;
tell me that, Gripir!
if it seem good to thee.
Shall I obtain the damsel?
with dowry purchase
the lovely
royal daughter?

Gripir
31.
Ye will each swear
unnumbered oaths,
solemnly binding,
but few will keep.
Hast thou been Guiki’s
guest one night,
thou wilt have forgotten
the fair ward of Heimir.

Sigurd
32.
How is that, Gripir!
explain it to me:
seest thou such fickleness
in the king’s mind,
that with that maiden I
shall my engagement break,
whom with my whole heart
I thought to love?

Gripir
33.
Prince! thou wilt be snared
in another’s wiles,
thou wilt pay the penalty
of Grimhild’s craft;
the bright-haired maiden,
her daughter,
she to thee will offer.
This snare for the king she lays.

Sigurd
34.
Shall I then with Gunnar
form relationship,
and with Gudrún
join in wedlock?
Well wived then
the king would be,
if the pangs of perjury
caused me no pain.

Gripir
35.
Thee will Grimhild
wholly beguile;
she will implore thee
Brynhild to demand
for the hand of Gunnar,
king of Goths:
the journey thou wilt forthwith promise
to the king’s mother.

Sigurd
36.
Evils are at hand,
I can that perceive;
Sigurd’s wits
will have wholly perished,
if I shall demand,
for another’s hand,
a noble maiden
whom I well love.

Gripir
37.
All of you will
swear mutual oaths,
Gunnar, and Högni,
and thou the third;
and ye will forms exchange,
when on the way ye are,
Gunnar and thou:
Gripir lies not.

Sigurd
38.
To what end is that?
why shall we exchange
forms and manner,
when on the way we are?
Another fraud
will surely follow this,
altogether horrible.
But say on, Gripir!

Gripir
39.
Thou wilt have Gunnar’s semblance,
and his manners,
thy own eloquence,
and great sagacity:
there thou wilt betroth
the high-minded
ward of Heimir:
no one can that prevent.

Sigurd
40.
To me that seems worse,
that among men I shall
be a false traitor called,
if such take place.
I would not
deception practise
on a royal maid
the most excellent I know.

Gripir
41.
Thou wilt repose,
leader of hosts!
pure as the maiden,
as she thy mother were;
therefore exalted,
lord of men!
while the world endures
thy name will be.

42.
The nuptials will
of both be solemnized,
of Sigurd and of Gunnar,
in Giuki’s halls;
then will ye forms exchange,
when ye home return;
yet to himself will have
each his own senses.

Sigurd
43.
Will then Gunnar,
chief among men,
the noble woman wed?
Tell me that, Gripir!
although three nights by me
the chieftain’s bride
glad of heart has slept?
The like has no example.

44.
How for happiness
shall hereafter be
this affinity?
Tell me that, Gripir!
Will the alliance
for Gunnar’s solace
henceforth prove,
or even for mine?

Gripir
45.
Thou wilt the oaths remember,
and must silence keep,
and let Gudrún enjoy
a happy union.
Brynhild nathless will herself think
an ill-married woman.
She will wiles devise
to avenge herself.

Sigurd
46.
What atonement will
that woman take,
for the frauds we
shall have practised on her?
From me the maiden has
oaths sworn,
but never kept,
and but little joy.

Gripir
47.
She to Gunnar will
plainly declare,
that thou didst not well
the oaths observe,
when the noble king,
Guikis heir,
with his whole soul,
in thee confided.

Sigurd
48.
What will then follow?
let me know that.
Will that tale

appear as true,
or that the noble woman
falsely accuses me,
and herself also.
Tell me that, Gripir!

Gripir
49.
From spite towards thee,
and from o’erwhelming grief,
the powerful dame
will not most wisely act.
To the noble woman
do thou no further harm,
though thou the royal bride
with guiles has circumvented.

Sigurd
50.
Will the prudent Gunnar,
Guthorm, and Högni,
at her instigation,
then proceed?
Will Giuki’s sons
on their relative
redden their swords?
Tell me further, Gripir!

Gripir
51.
Then will Gudrún be
furious at heart,
when her brothers shall
on thy death resolve.
In nothing then
will that wise woman
take delight.
Such is Grimhild’s work.

52.
In this thou shalt find comfort,
leader of hosts!
This fortune is allotted
to the hero’s life:
a more renowned man
on earth shall never be,
under the sun’s abode,
than thou wilt be accounted.

Sigurd
53.
Now part we, now farewell!
Fate may not be withstood.
Now hast thou, Gripir!
done as I prayed thee:
thou wouldst have fain
a happier end foretold me
of my life’s days,
hadst thou been able.