Spoken Lore

Oddrun spake: “I remember the evil one eve thou spakest, When a draught I gave to Gunnar then; Thou didst say that never such a deed By maid was done save by me alone.”

Then the sorrowing woman sat her down To tell the grief of her troubles great.

“Happy I grew in the hero’s hall As the warriors wished, and they loved me well; Glad I was of my father’s gifts, For winters five, while my father lived.

“These were the words the weary king, Ere he died, spake last of all; He bade me with red gold dowered be, And to Grimhild’s son in the South be wedded.

“But Brynhild the helm he bade to wear, A wish-maid bright he said she should be; For a noble maid would never be born On earth, he said, if death should spare her.

~ Oddrunargratr, Stanzas 12 through 16

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From 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.

Weeping 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.

Long I waited and pondered well Ere ever the king for tiding I asked.

His 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.

~ Guthrunarkvitha II, en forna, Stanzas 3 through 6

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From 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.

Weeping 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.

Long I waited and pondered well Ere ever the king for tiding I asked.

His 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.

~ Guthrunarkvitha II, en forna, Stanzas 3 through 6

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After the death of Brynhild there were made two bale-fires, the one for Sigurth, and that burned first, and on the other was Brynhild burned, and she was on a wagon which was covered with a rich cloth. Thus it is told, that Brynhild went in the wagon on Hel-way, and passed by a house where dwelt a certain giantess. The giantess spake:

“Thou shalt not further forward fare, My dwelling ribbed with rocks across; More seemly it were at thy weaving to stay, Than another’s husband here to follow.

“What wouldst thou have from Valland here, Fickle of heart, in this my house? Gold-goddess, now, if thou wouldst know, Heroes’ blood from thy hands hast washed.”

Brynhild spake: “Chide me not, woman from rocky walls, Though to battle once I was wont to go; Better than thou I shall seem to be, When men us two shall truly know.”

The giantess spake: “Thou wast, Brynhild, Buthli’s daughter, For the worst of evils born in the world; To death thou hast given Gjuki’s children, And laid their lofty house full low.”

Brynhild spake: “Truth from the wagon here I tell thee, Witless one, if know thou wilt How the heirs of Gjuki gave me to be joyless ever, a breaker of oaths.

“Hild the helmed in Hlymdalir They named me of old, all they who knew me.

~ Helreith Brynhildar, Stanzas 1 through 6

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In her wrath to battle she roused herself: “Gunnar, now thou needs must lose Lands of mine and me myself, No joy shall I have with the hero ever.

“Back shall I fare where first I dwelt, Among the kin that come of my race, To wait there, sleeping my life away, If Sigurth’s death thou shalt not dare, (And best of heroes thou shalt not be.)

“The son shall fare with his father hence, And let not long the wolf-cub live; Lighter to pay is the vengeance-price After the deed if the son is dead.”

~ Sigurtharkvitha en Skamma, Stanzas 10 through 12

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Hogni spake: “Thy heart hath Brynhild whetted to hate, Evil to work and harm to win, She grudges the honor that Guthrun has, And that joy of herself thou still dost have.

They cooked a wolf, they cut up a snake, They gave to Gotthorm the greedy one’s flesh, Before the men, to murder minded, Laid their hands on the hero bold.

Slain was Sigurth south of the Rhine; From a limb a raven called full loud: “Your blood shall redden Atli’s blade, And your oaths shall bind you both in chains.”

Without stood Guthrun, Gjuki’s daughter, Hear now the speech that first she spake: “Where is Sigurth now, the noble king, That my kinsmen riding before him come?”

~ Brot Af Sigurharkvithu, Stanzas 3 through 6

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