The Poetic Edda · Poem 29
The Second, or Old, Lay of Guthrun
1King Thjothrek was with Atli, and had lost most of his men. Thjothrek and Guthrun lamented their griefs together. She spoke to him, saying: A maid of maids my mother bore me, Bright in my bower, my brothers I loved, Till Gjuki dowered me with gold, Dowered with gold, and to Sigurth gave me.
2So Sigurth rose o’er Gjuki’s sons As the leek grows green above the grass, Or the stag o’er all the beasts doth stand, Or as glow-red gold above silver gray.
3Till my brothers let me no longer have The best of heroes my husband to be; Sleep they could not, or quarrels settle, Till Sigurth they at last had slain.
4From the Thing ran Grani with thundering feet, But thence did Sigurth himself come never; Covered with sweat was the saddle-bearer, Wont the warrior’s weight to bear.
5Weeping I sought with Grani to speak, With tear-wet cheeks for the tale I asked; The head of Grani was bowed to the grass, The steed knew well his master was slain.
6Long I waited and pondered well Ere ever the king for tidings I asked.................
7His head bowed Gunnar, but Hogni told The news full sore of Sigurth slain: “Hewed to death at our hands he lies, Gotthorm’s slayer, given to wolves.
8“On the southern road thou shalt Sigurth see, Where hear thou canst the ravens cry; The eagles cry as food they crave, And about thy husband wolves are howling.”
9“Why dost thou, Hogni, such a horror Let me hear, all joyless left? Ravens yet thy heart shall rend In a land that never thou hast known.”
10Few the words of Hogni were, Bitter his heart from heavy sorrow: “Greater, Guthrun, thy grief shall be If the ravens so my heart shall rend.”
11From him who spake I turned me soon, In the woods to find what the wolves had left; Tears I had not, nor wrung my hands, Nor wailing went, as other women, (When by Sigurth slain I sat).
12Never so black had seemed the night As when in sorrow by Sigurth I sat; The wolves............................
13................ Best of all methought ’twould be If I my life could only lose, Or like to birch-wood burned might be.
14From the mountain forth five days I fared, Till Hoalf’s hall so high I saw; Seven half-years with Thora I stayed, Hokon’s daughter, in Denmark then.
15With gold she broidered, to bring me joy, Southern halls and Danish swans; On the tapestry wove we warrior’s deeds, And the hero’s thanes on our handiwork; (Flashing shields and fighters armed, Sword-throng, helm-throng, the host of the king).
16Sigmund’s ship by the land was sailing, Golden the figure-head, gay the beaks; On board we wove the warriors faring, Sigar and Siggeir, south to Fjon.
17Then Grimhild asked, the Gothic queen, Whether willingly would I......................
18Her needlework cast she aside, and called Her sons to ask, with stern resolve, Who amends to their sister would make for her son, Or the wife requite for her husband killed.
19Ready was Gunnar gold to give, Amends for my hurt, and Hogni too; Then would she know who now would go, The horse to saddle, the wagon to harness, (The horse to ride, the hawk to fly, And shafts from bows of yew to shoot).
20(Valdar, king of the Danes, was come, With Jarizleif, Eymoth, and Jarizskar). In like princes came they all, The long-beard men, with mantles red, Short their mail-coats, mighty their helms, Swords at their belts, and brown their hair.
21Each to give me gifts was fain, Gifts to give, and goodly speech, Comfort so for my sorrows great To bring they tried, but I trusted them not.
22A draught did Grimhild give me to drink, Bitter and cold; I forgot my cares; For mingled therein was magic earth, Ice-cold sea, and the blood of swine.
23In the cup were runes of every kind, Written and reddened, I could not read them; A heather-fish from the Haddings’ land, An ear uncut, and the entrails of beasts.
24Much evil was brewed within the beer, Blossoms of trees, and acorns burned, Dew of the hearth, and holy entrails, The liver of swine,— all grief to allay.
25Then I forgot, when the draught they gave me, There in the hall, my husband’s slaying; On their knees the kings all three did kneel, Ere she herself to speak began:
26“Guthrun, gold to thee I give, The wealth that once thy father’s was, Rings to have, and Hlothver’s halls, And the hangings all that the monarch had.
27“Hunnish women, skilled in weaving, Who gold make fair to give thee joy, And the wealth of Buthli thine shall be, Gold-decked one, as Atli’s wife.”
28Guthrun spake: “A husband now I will not have, Nor wife of Brynhild’s brother be; It beseems me not with Buthli’s son Happy to be, and heirs to bear.”
29Grimhild spake: “Seek not on men to avenge thy sorrows, Though the blame at first with us hath been; Happy shalt be as if both still lived, Sigurth and Sigmund, if sons thou bearest.”
30Guthrun spake: “Grimhild, I may not gladness find, Nor hold forth hopes to heroes now, Since once the raven and ravening wolf Sigurth’s heart’s-blood hungrily lapped.”
31Grimhild spake: “Noblest of birth is the ruler now I have found for thee, and foremost of all; Him shalt thou have while life thou hast, Or husbandless be if him thou wilt choose not.”
32Guthrun spake: “Seek not so eagerly me to send To be a bride of yon baneful race; On Gunnar first his wrath shall fall, And the heart will he tear from Hogni’s breast.”
33Weeping Grimhild heard the words That fate full sore for her sons foretold, (And mighty woe for them should work;) “Lands I give thee, with all that live there, (Vinbjorg is thine, and Valbjorg too,) Have them forever, but hear me, daughter.”
34So must I do as the kings besought, And against my will for my kinsmen wed; Ne’er with my husband joy I had, And my sons by my brothers’ fate were saved not.
35................ I could not rest till of life I had robbed The warrior bold, the maker of battles.
36Soon on horseback each hero was, And the foreign women in wagons faring; A week through lands so cold we went, And a second week the waves we smote, (And a third through lands that water lacked).
37The warders now on the lofty walls Opened the gates, and in we rode.
38Atli woke me, for ever I seemed Of bitterness full for my brothers’ death.
39Atli spake: “Now from sleep the Norns have waked me With visions of terror,— to thee will I tell them; Methought thou, Guthrun, Gjuki’s daughter, With poisoned blade didst pierce my body.”
40Guthrun spake: “Fire a dream of steel shall follow And willful pride one of woman’s wrath; A baneful sore I shall burn from thee, And tend and heal thee, though hated thou art.”
41Atli spake: “Of plants I dreamed, in the garden drooping, That fain would I have full high to grow; Plucked by the roots, and red with blood, They brought them hither, and bade me eat.
42“I dreamed my hawks from my hand had flown, Eager for food, to an evil house; I dreamed their hearts with honey I ate, Soaked in blood, and heavy my sorrow.
43“Hounds I dreamed from my hand I loosed, Loud in hunger and pain they howled; Their flesh methought was eagles’ food, And their bodies now I needs must eat.”
44Guthrun spake: “Men shall soon of sacrifice speak, And off the heads of beasts shall hew; Die they shall ere day has dawned, A few nights hence, and the folk shall have them.”
45Atli spake: “On my bed I sank, nor slumber sought, Weary with woe,— full well I remember.”................