The Poetic Edda · Poem 23
The Ballad of the Victory-Bringer
1Sigurth rode up on Hindarfjoll and turned southward toward the land of the Franks. On the mountain he saw a great light, as if fire were burning, and the glow reached up to heaven. And when he came thither, there stood a tower of shields, and above it was a banner. Sigurth went into the shield-tower, and saw that a man lay there sleeping with all his war-weapons. First he took the helm from his head, and then he saw that it was a woman. The mail-coat was as fast as if it had grown to the flesh. Then he cut the mail-coat from the head-opening downward, and out to both the arm-holes. Then he took the mail-coat from her, and she awoke, and sat up and saw Sigurth, and said: “What bit through the byrnie? how was broken my sleep? Who made me free of the fetters pale?”
2He answered: “Sigmund’s son, with Sigurth’s sword, That late with flesh hath fed the ravens.” Sigurth sat beside her and asked her name. She took a horn full of mead and gave him a memory-draught. “Hail, day! Hail, sons of day! And night and her daughter now! Look on us here with loving eyes, That waiting we victory win.
3“Hail to the gods! Ye goddesses, hail, And all the generous earth! Give to us wisdom and goodly speech, And healing hands, life-long.
4“Long did I sleep, my slumber was long, And long are the griefs of life; Othin decreed that I could not break The heavy spells of sleep.”
5Her name was Sigrdrifa, and she was a Valkyrie. She said that two kings fought in battle; one was called Hjalmgunnar, an old man but a mighty warrior, and Othin had promised him the victory, and The other was Agnar, brother of Autha, None he found who fain would shield him. Sigrdrifa slew Hjalmgunnar in the battle, and Othin pricked her with the sleep-thorn in punishment for this, and said that she should never thereafter win victory in battle, but that she should be wedded. “And I said to him that I had made a vow in my turn, that I would never marry a man who knew the meaning of fear.” Sigurth answered and asked her to teach him wisdom, if she knew of what took place in all the worlds. Sigrdrifa said: “Beer I bring thee, tree of battle, Mingled of strength and mighty fame; Charms it holds and healing signs, Spells full good, and gladness-runes.”
6Winning-runes learn, if thou longest to win, And the runes on thy sword-hilt write; Some on the furrow, and some on the flat, And twice shalt thou call on Tyr.
7Ale-runes learn, that with lies the wife Of another betray not thy trust; On the horn thou shalt write, and the backs of thy hands, And Need shalt mark on thy nails. Thou shalt bless the draught, and danger escape, And cast a leek in the cup; (For so I know thou never shalt see Thy mead with evil mixed.)
8Birth-runes learn, if help thou wilt lend, The babe from the mother to bring; On thy palms shalt write them, and round thy joints, And ask the fates to aid.
9Wave-runes learn, if well thou wouldst shelter The sail-steeds out on the sea; On the stem shalt thou write, and the steering-blade, And burn them into the oars; Though high be the breakers, and black the waves, Thou shalt safe the harbor seek.
10Branch-runes learn, if a healer wouldst be, And cure for wounds wouldst work; On the bark shalt thou write, and on trees that be With boughs to the eastward bent.
11Speech-runes learn, that none may seek To answer harm with hate; Well he winds and weaves them all, And sets them side by side, At the judgment-place, when justice there The folk shall fairly win.
12Thought-runes learn, if all shall think Thou art keenest minded of men.
13Them Hropt arranged, and them he wrote, And them in thought he made, Out of the draught that down had dropped From the head of Heithdraupnir, And the horn of Hoddrofnir.
14On the mountain he stood with Brimir’s sword, On his head the helm he bore; Then first the head of Mim spoke forth, And words of truth it told.
15He bade write on the shield before the shining goddess, On Arvak’s ear, and on Alsvith’s hoof, On the wheel of the car of Hrungnir’s killer, On Sleipnir’s teeth, and the straps of the sledge.
16On the paws of the bear, and on Bragi’s tongue, On the wolf’s claws bared, and the eagle’s beak, On bloody wings, and bridge’s end, On freeing hands and helping foot-prints.
17On glass and on gold, and on goodly charms, In wine and in beer, and on well-loved seats, On Gungnir’s point, and on Grani’s breast, On the nails of Norns, and the night-owl’s beak.
18Shaved off were the runes that of old were written, And mixed with the holy mead, And sent on ways so wide; So the gods had them, so the elves got them, And some for the Wanes so wise, And some for mortal men.
19Beech-runes are there, birth-runes are there, And all the runes of ale, And the magic runes of might; Who knows them rightly and reads them true, Has them himself to help; Ever they aid, Till the gods are gone.
20Brynhild spake: “Now shalt thou choose, for the choice is given, Thou tree of the biting blade; Speech or silence, ’tis thine to say, Our evil is destined all.”
21Sigurth spake: “I shall not flee, though my fate be near, I was born not a coward to be; Thy loving word for mine will I win, As long as I shall live.”
22Then first I rede thee, that free of guilt Toward kinsmen ever thou art; No vengeance have, though they work thee harm, Reward after death thou shalt win.
23Then second I rede thee, to swear no oath If true thou knowest it not; Bitter the fate of the breaker of troth, And poor is the wolf of his word.
24Then third I rede thee, that thou at the Thing Shalt fight not in words with fools; For the man unwise a worser word Than he thinks doth utter oft.
25Ill it is if silent thou art, A coward born men call thee, And truth mayhap they tell; Seldom safe is fame, Unless wide renown be won; On the day thereafter send him to death, Let him pay the price of his lies.
26Then fourth I rede thee, if thou shalt find A wily witch on thy road, It is better to go than her guest to be, Though night enfold thee fast.
27Eyes that see need the sons of men Who fight in battle fierce; Oft witches evil sit by the way, Who blade and courage blunt.
28Then fifth I rede thee, though maidens fair Thou seest on benches sitting, Let the silver of kinship not rob thee of sleep, And the kissing of women beware.
29Then sixth I rede thee, if men shall wrangle, And ale-talk rise to wrath, No words with a drunken warrior have, For wine steals many men’s wits.
30Brawls and ale full oft have been An ill to many a man, Death for some, and sorrow for some; Full many the woes of men.
31Then seventh I rede thee, if battle thou seekest With a foe that is full of might; It is better to fight than to burn alive In the hall of the hero rich.
32Then eighth I rede thee, that evil thou shun, And beware of lying words; Take not a maid, nor the wife of a man, Nor lure them on to lust.
33Then ninth I rede thee: burial render If thou findest a fallen corpse, Of sickness dead, or dead in the sea, Or dead of weapons’ wounds.
34A bath shalt thou give them who corpses be, And hands and head shalt wash; Wipe them and comb, ere they go in the coffin, And pray that they sleep in peace.
35Then tenth I rede thee, that never thou trust The word of the race of wolves, (If his brother thou broughtest to death, Or his father thou didst fell;) Often a wolf in a son there is, Though gold he gladly takes.
36Battle and hate and harm, methinks, Full seldom fall asleep; Wits and weapons the warrior needs If boldest of men he would be.
37Then eleventh I rede thee, that wrath thou shun, And treachery false with thy friends; Not long the leader’s life shall be, For great are the foes he faces.