1. Of yore sent Atli on errand to Gunnar

a cunning king's man---- Knefroeth was he hight;

to Gjuki's court came he, and to Gunnar's beer hall,

to the benches hearth-girding, * to the beer of welcome.

* Before the introduction, in the Middle Ages, of the hearth properly speaking, the fireplaces were on the ground, in the middle of the hall, flanked by rows of benches on the longer sides. In the North, the "highseats" were located in the middle of these, once occupied by the host, the one opposite, by the most honored guest. The benches (and walls) were hung with arms.

2. The doughty ones * drank, their dark thoughts hiding,

in the hall of Gunnar, fearing Hunnish wrath.

Called out then Knefroeth with coldhearted words-----

was he sent from Southland----- as he sate on high-seat:

* The Gjukungs.

3. "Atli hath sent me his errand to ride,

on charger bit-champing, through cheerless Myrkvith, *

to bid you, Gunnar, that to his benches ye come,

with helmets ring-dight, ** to the halls of Atli.

* The "Dark Forest," conceieved here as the boundary between Gunnar's and Atli's dominions. See St. 5 below, and also "Oddrunargratr," St. 23.

** Conjectural. Helmets of Old Germanic times were ornamented with bands of plaited rings.

4. "Shields may ye choose there, spearshafts of ash tree,

eke helmets gold-burnished, sword blades full many,

silver-gilt saddle cloths, Welsh sarks gory red,

darts and barbed spears, and bit-champing steeds.

5. "He will give you the gold * of Gnita Heath vast,

will give shrilling shafts and ship-prows ** gilded----

much that is hoarded and hidden, eke the halls of Danp, ***

and the mighty forest which is Myrkvith hight."

* Accepting Bugge's emendation.

** Pars pro toto for "ships."

*** See "Rigsthula," St. 49.

6. His head turned Gunnar, and to Hogni said:

"What sayest thou, young hero, when of such we hear?

Red gold I ween not on Gnita Heath hidden

but we two do own of it even as much.

7. "Seven lofts have we, with swords filled each one,

whose hilts are made of heavy gold;

my steed I ween swiftest, and my sword sharpest,

are my bows bench-seemly, * my byrnies all golden;

and my helmet ring-dight, from the hall of Kiar, *

to me liefer is than thy liege's hoard."

* See stanza 1 above.

** Possibly identical with the King Kiar mentioned in the Introductory Prose of "Volundarkvidha."

(Hogni said:)

8. "What, pray, meant our sister to send us a finger ring

all wound with wolf's hair? Some warming it betokens. *

The heath dweller's hair was hanging on it:

wolfish would be our way to the Huns."

* See "Drap Niflunga" and "Atlamal" for similar warnings attempted by Guthrun.

9. * Neither whetted nor letted the lordly kinsmen,

nor did faithful friends further the emprise;

quoth then Gunnar as a king befitteth,

and a mighty warrior, in his mead hall sitting:

* One or more stanzas must have dropped out here in which Gunnar's sudden change of mind was motivated.

10. "Arise now, Fjornir! * Thou shalt fill with mead,

and hand to the heroes, the horns all golden.

(Let us wine drink unwincing, for well may it be

that in this world ne'ermore ye thanes sit together.) **

* Gunnar's cupbearer. Fjolnir is also a name of Odhinn in Aesirsogur.

** Supplied after the corresponding passage in the Volsunga saga, Chap. 35

11. * "The Niflung gold hoard old grey-coated wolves

may grasp greedily, once Gunnar is fallen,

and black-skinned bears, biting with their fangs,

to dog packs give game if Gunnar return not."

*The translation of this stanza is largely conjectural. The compiler of the Volsunga saga did not understand it any better! The meaning seems to be that, for aught he cares, the beasts of the wild (symbolic for enemies?) may occupy the halls should the Gjukungs perish.

12. The lord of the land was led out by weeping,

faithful kinsmen from the court within.

Said then the last-born son of Hogni: *

"May no ill befall you wherever you may fare!"

* See "Drap Niflunga." In "Atlamal," St. 28, Hogni's other two sons accompany them to Atli's realm.

13. Through the hills the heroes in haste did spur

the chargers bit-champing, through cheerless Myrkvith;

shook the Hunnish heath where they haughtily rode,

their steeds lash-fearing on green fields did trample.

14. * Atli's halls they beheld then, the high-builded towers;

on the bastions above stood Buthli's ** warriors;

was the Southron's hall with seats engirded,

with long rows linked of white linden shields.

* A difficult stanza.

** Following Bugge. Buthli is Atli's father.

15. Within hall, Atli (and his earls) * drank wine;

without it, his watchmen on the walls were placed,

to warn him if Gunnar with war shield drew nigh,

with shrilling spearshafts and unsheathed swords.

* A gap in the manuscript is here supplied, following Bugge's suggestion.

16. Their sister first saw them as the seats they neared,

both her dear brothers---- little beer had she drunk:

"Betrayed art, kinsman; for how could'st thou, Gunnar,

against the Huns hold thee? From the hall flee quickly!

17. "Better were it, brother, if in byrnie clad

and ring-covered helmet, thou had'st ridden against Atli,

in the saddle had'st sat all the sun-hot day,

(and the raven had'st fed on reddened battlefield,) *

* Supplied after Grundtvig.

18. "Had'st made the women weep their war-dead heroes,

and Hunnish shield-maidens to shame had'st put, *

but Atl himself amongst the adders had'st thrown.

Now that loathy life-end your lot will be."

* Doubtful.

19. (Then gainsaid Gunnar, the gold-ring-breaker:) *

"Too late now, sister, to summon the Niflungs:

'twould take long to look for our liege men doughty,

for the brave ones and bold ones from the banks of the Rhine."

*These lines are transposed here from their original position before St. 25 following Grundtvig. The Niflungs rode with only a few followers.

20. * They held Gunnar fast, and in fetters laid

Burgundy's king, and bound him firmly.

* It would seem that some stanzas are lacking here which described the battle and the slaughter of all the Burgundians (here for Gjukungs, Niflungs) except Gunnar and Hogni.

21. Seven Hogni slew with sword sharp-cutting,

the eighth he hurled into hottest fire: *

so shall stouthearted thane stem the foes' tide,

as 'gainst Hunnish hosts Hogni shielded Gunnar.

*The battle rages in the hall. The following lines are defective and are translated ad sensum.

22. They asked the liege if his life he would,

the Gothic * king, with his gold hoard buy.

*Only honorific here.

23. (Then gainsaid Gunnar, the gold-ring-breaker:) *

"First shall Hogni's heart in my hand be laid,

from the bold one's breast all bloody cut,

from the son of Gjuki, with sword sharp-gashing."

*Supplied as in St. 19.

24. (Beguile they would the greathearted king,

when a gibbering thrall they threw down and slaughtered:) *

The heart they hewed out of Hjalli's ** breast,

on a board laid it, and brought it to Gunnar.

* Supplied, after Grundtvig's suggestion. See "Atlamal," St. 56 ff.

** a typical thrall's theme

25. Then said this Gunnar, Gjuki's first-born:

"Here have I the heart of Hjalli the thrall,

unlike the heart of Hogni the fearless,

since much it beats on the board as it lies:

but e'en more it beat in his breast as it lay."

26. Then laughed Hogni, to the heart as they cut

the whittler-of-shields, for whine he would never.

(Took the hard one's then the Hunnish warriors), *

on a board laid it and brought it to Gunnar.

*The evident gap supplied after the Volsunga saga, Chap. 37.

27. Then spoke this Gunnar, the spear-Niflung:

"Here have I the heart of Hogni the fearless,

unlike the heart of Hjalli the thrall,

since little it beats on the board as it lies;

but even less it beat in his breast as it lay.

28. "As little, Atli, will eyes behold thee

as out hoard in thy hands thou wilt hold ever. *

* Both lines are doubtful.

29. "To no one but me is known where lieth

the hoard of the Niflungs, now Hogni lives not.

Mistrust had I ever whilst we two did live:

now alone I live I no longer fear. *

* That the secret of the treasure might be betrayed by someone.

30. "Let the Rhine rather the red gold hide,

the fast-flowing flood, evil Fafnir's hoard;

let the rings rather under rolling waves shine

than shine on the hands of Hunnish maidens."

31. (Called then Atli, the king of the Huns:) *

"Let the wheel wain fetch now fettered Gunnar."

To his death then drew the doomed hoard-warder, **

the bold brand-wielder, a bit-shaking steed.

* Supplied after Grundtvig.

** That is, to the place of execution? According to "Atlamal," St. 54, Atli has Gunnar first hanged on the gallows, then cast into the snake den.

32. Rode Atli Glaum, his goodly charger,

hedged round by shields and shining swords;

but white-armed Guthrun, sprung from gods on high,

her tears withheld as in hall she came. *

* These stanzas seem to defy proper ordering. In the original, the last two lines of St. 32 follow after St. 33. They are transposed here, following Bugge. The translation of the entire stanza is doubtful. This much seems clear: the following speech is Guthrun monologue, spoken when she descends into the hall where the fight has raged.

(Guthrun said:)

33. "May it go with thee, Atli, as to Gunnar thou swarest *

with holiest oaths, oft and anon,

by the southward sun and by Sigtyr's ** cliff,

by his steed-of-ease *** and by Ull's temple-ring." ****

* As it should go with him if he violated these oaths.

** Othin. See the similar oath in "Helgakvidha Hundingsbana" II, St. 30.

*** Kenning for "couch": The bedposts were carved in the likeness of horseheads. The horse was sacred to Othin----Following the explanation of Holtsmark in Maal og Minne, 1941 (XXIII), 1 ff.

**** See "Grimnismal," St. 5.

34. Living they laid into loathy dungeon,

alive with adders, the lordly Niflung:

but Gunnar, unyielding, grim in his mind,

with his hands did strike the harp, undaunted: *

the strings rang out strongly. With stout heart thus

should highborn hero hold to his own.

* According to the paraphrase of the Volsunga saga, Chap. 37, it was Guthrun who conveyed the harp to him. See also "Oddrunargratr," St. 26 ff.

35. His horse Atli spurred, to his halls returning,

the earth-stamping steed, straight from the murder.

In the courtyard was din of capering chargers,

eke of clash of weapons, from the woods as they came.

36. Out went then Guthrun forth to Atli the king,

with golden goblet to greet the folk-warder:

"Thou art welcome to have in thy hall, my lord,

most gladly Guthrun's young game to eat." *

* She expresses herself ambiguously on purpose----she has slaughtered her "cubs".

37. Atli's gold cups did clink wine-filled,

when the Hunnish heroes in the hall foregathered;

long-bearded henchmen benchward in strode:

(those who in Myrkheim had murdered Gunnar). *

* Transferred here (with Grundtvig) from its original position in St. 45. Myrkheim, "the Dark Abode," is possibly identical with the Myrkvith above.

38. Forth bore then the beer (who had borne him sons,

the daughter of Niflungs,) * bedight with gold rings;

grudging she brought to the Buthlung ** his meat,

and unwilling; then wildly spoke these words of hate:

* Supplied freely by the Translator.

** Atli, the son of Buthli.

39. "Now hast thou, sword-giver, of thy sons twain eaten

the blood-dripping hearts, with honey seasoned;

hast swallowed the flesh of slaughtered kinsmen,

as tid-bits which to the high-seat were sent you.

40. "Wilt thou nevermore now to thy knees call the twain,

Erp and Eitil, when ale hath cheered thee,

nor see them sitting on settles in hall,

gold rings dispending and spearshafts smoothing,

mastering horses and their manes shearing." *

* Occupations of the nobly born. See "Rigsthula," Sts. 27 ff.

41. Rose uproar on benches, men's angry shouts,

wept Hunnish warriors, there was wailing 'neath hangings; *

but one wept not----Guthrun, who wept not ever

her bearhearted brothers, not her boys so dear,

so young and so guileless, begot with Atli.

* Rich cloths and tapestries were hung on the walls.

42. Sowed then gold snares the swan-white lady,

and with ruddy rings enriched the housecarls;

to fulfill their fate she flung out treasure,

nor recked aught the woman to rob the coffers. *

* She bribes them to maintain silence and to lull their suspicions about her further designs. We may also think of a sleep potion given them.

43. Unwary was Atli, his wits were befuddled,

had not with him his weapons, nor bewared of Guthrun.

Erstwhile the athelings more ease did have,

the time king and queen fondly clasped in hall.

44. To their bridal bed she gave blood * to drink

with murderous hands, and the hounds she loosed; **

into hall hurled she--- the housecarls were waked---

burning firebrands---- thus her brothers avenged.

* Atli's blood.

** They are loosed, and the housecarls wakened, so that they may not perish in the flames.

45. To the fire she gave all who within did sleep.

Flaming fell then the far-famed temples, *

the Buthlung's beer hall; burned eke the shield-maids,

bereft of their lives, in the roaring flames.

* In the sense of "treasure-houses" (?)

46. This tale is ended; nor will ever after thus

byrnie-clad woman her brothers avenge;

to death she did dear folk-lords three, *

the swan-white lady, ere herself she died.

Yet more fully is spoken (of this) in "Atlamal."

* Atli and his sons.

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