oft forsworn:
Vingi ‘May hell have me
and the high gallows,
may ravens rend me,
if the runes should lie!’
*
59 Niflungs rode forth
from Niflung-land;
fast their journey,
few went with them.
Grímhild stood there
grey and aged,
dark eyes were dimmed
death foreseeing.
60 Their word was spoken,
wills were hardened;
fate drove them on,
fey they parted.
None might hinder
near them thronging,
lords nor wisemen;
with a laugh they rode.
61 Steeds went striding,
stonefire glinted,
rocks were ringing,
roads resounding.
In hoar forests
harts were startled,
over hill and valley
hooves were beating.
62 Over river rowed they
roaring onward;
oars were bending
urged to breaking.
Foam flew from prow,
flashed and sparkled;
at bank unbound
the boats left they.
63 In the hoar forest
horns they sounded
Hunland rousing;
hooves were beating.
Golden harness
gleamed and sparkled;
steeds came striding
stung to madness.
*
64 From hill upon high
halls they looked on,
walls and watchtowers
wondrous-builded.
They were forest-girdled,
fenced with spearmen;
horses neighed there,
helms were glinting.
65 There was clamour in the courts,
cold rang the steel;
shafts were shaken,
shields them answered.
Gates found they barred,
grim doors of iron:
H?gni smote them,
hewed them fiercely.
66 (Forth came Vingi
the venom-tonguéd:)
Vingi ‘Ye need not to knock,
for known your coming!
The greeting is prepared –
the gallows waits you.
The hungry eagle,
the hoary wolf,
the ravens are ready
to rend your flesh!’
H?gni 67 ‘Heralds were holy –
but unhallowed liar,
thou shalt hang the first,
and hell take thee!’
From the oak-branches
with arms corded
they hung him high
in the Huns’ faces.
68 Huns loud clamoured,
hate was kindled;
forth rushed they fell,
fierce the onslaught.
In battle blended
Budlungs, Niflungs;
blades were brandished,
burst were helmets.
69 Back they beat them
broken-harnessed;
to the doors they drove them –
din was in the gates.
In leaped H?gni,
held the gateway,
hewed two-handed,
hurled them backward.
70 The few and fearless
as a fire entered,
as roaring flame,
wrath devouring.
Wolves sprang behind,
the ways were reddened,
the walls echoed,
wailing filled them.
71 Steep, stone-builded,
the stair arose
to dark doorways
dreadly timbered.
There H?gni halted,
hailed them loudly:
H?gni ‘Forth, forth! O friends,
the feast begins!’
72 Out came Atli,
anger-clouded:
Atli ‘Welcome, my vassals!
Ye have well begun it.
Death the drink here,
doom the ending,
ropes here the rings –
if ransom fail.
73 That gold give me
that is Gudrún’s right,
that Sigurd conquered,
the serpent’s treasure!’
H?gni laughed then,
on his hilts leaning;
Gunnar glowering
grimly answered.
Gunnar 74 ‘No gold from Gunnar
shalt thou get for ever!
Life canst thou take
at latest end.
Dear wilt thou buy it
in dread barter
of lords and lieges,
lives uncounted!’
Atli 75 ‘Fools the Niflungs,
feud-forgetful;
foul-stained their hands
with friend-murder.
Gudrún’s husband
for Gudrún’s wrong
a grim vengeance
will gladly wreak.’
Gunnar 76 ‘Here Gudrún spake not!
Golden weregild
she looks nor longs for –
the lust is thine!’
H?gni ‘For atonement now
time is over!
Words we need not,
war hath entered!’
77 Horns they sounded –
hall-walls echoed –
strode the stairway;
stern their onslaught.
The stones they stained
with streaming blood;
snaketonguéd arrows
sang about them.
78 Doors clanged backward,
din resounded:
Hunland’s champions
hurled upon them.
Hard were handstrokes,
hewn were corslets,
as on hundred anvils
were hammers ringing.
*
79 In hall sat Gudrún
at heart weary,
from mood to mood
her mind wavered.
The din she hearkened,
deadly crying,
as back were beaten
the Borgund-lords.
Gudrún 80 ‘Little I love them,
long I hated!
A wolf they gave me
for woe’s comfort.
Yet the wolf rends them,
and woe is me!
Woe worth the hour
that of womb I came!’
81 Her hands she wrung
on high standing,
loud called she clear
to lieges there:
Gudrún ‘If any honour me
in these evil halls,
let them hold their hands
from this hell-labour!
82 Who would love requite,
who would lies disown,
who remember misery
by these masters wrought,
arm now! arm now!
aid the fearless
betrayed and trapped
by this troll-people!’
83 Atli sat there,
anger burned him;
yet murmurs mounted,
men were rising.
Goths were there many:
griefs they remembered,
wars in Mirkwood
and wars of old.
84 From the hall striding
high they shouted,
foes turned to friends
fiercely greeted:
‘Goths and Niflungs
our gods helping
will hew the Huns
to hell’s shadow!’
85 The few and fearless
fiercely answered
(their backs were driven
to the builded walls):
Niflungs ‘Friends, come welcome!
The feast is high.
Now songs let us sing
of our sires of yore.’
86 Of the Goths’ glory
Gunnar sang there;
of Iormunrek
earth-shadowing king;
of Angantyr
and old battles,
of Dylgja, Dúnheie,
and Danpar’s walls.
87 Forth went H?gni,
hate rekindled,
his son Sn?var
at his side leaping.
Hewn was H?gni
by a Hun chieftain;
his shield was shorn
in shards falling.
88 Sn?var they slew there,
their swords stabbed him;
he left his life
laughing grimly.
H?gni wept not;
from his hand the shield
stooping lifted;
strode then onward.
89 The stairs they strode
streaming redly;
at dark doorways
they dinned and hammered;
into halls of Atli
hewed a pathway;
rushed in roaring,
reeking-handed.
90 Gudrún they greeted,
Gunnar and H?gni:
Gunnar & H?gni This feast is fashioned
fair and seemly!
Fell-shapen fates
will force us ever
as wife to give thee,
and a widow make thee!’
Gudrún 91 ‘If for wrongs ye wrought
ruth now moves you,
doom forestall not!
This deed forego!’
Gunnar & H?gni ‘At our sister’s prayer
let him slink away!
Woman’s robes ward him,
not warrior’s mail!’
92 Forth went Atli,
anguish gnawed him;
to Gudrún H?gni
said grim farewell:
H?gni ‘Thy price is paid,
thy prayer granted!
At life’s forfeit
we have loosed our foe.’
*
93 Forth sent Atli
his errand-riders;
Hunland hearkened,
hosts were arming.
Gallowsfowl to gladden
Goths and Niflungs
from the hall they hurled
the Hunnish corpses.
94 Daylight grew dim,
dark shadows walked
in echoing halls
that Atli loved.
In need most dire
the Niflung lords
doom awaited;
the doors were shut.
95 Night lapped the world
and noiseless town;
under ashen moonlight
the owls hooted.
At guarded doorways
Gunnar and H?gni
silent sat they
sleepless waiting.
96 First spake H?gni:
H?gni ‘Are these halls afire?
Of day untimely
doth the dawn smoulder?
Do dragons in Hunland
dreadly flaming
wind here their way?
Wake, O heroes!’
97 Gunnar answered:
Gunnar ‘Guard the doorways!
Here dawn nor dragon
dreadly burneth;
the gabled houses
are gloom-shrouded,
under ailing moon
the earth is shadowed.
98