THE FIRST LAY
OF GUTHRUN
Gudhrunarkvidha
There are
a number of indications, in setiment, style, conception,
and invention, which argue this short lay----or, rather,
"lament"----to belong among the youngest in the
collection, perhaps from the twelfth century. It is not
likely that the compiler of the Volsunga saga knew it.
The theme
is manifestly taken from "The Second Lay of
Guthrun" from which, indeed, a number of expressions
are borrowed bodily. But this in nowise detracts from the
originality and depth of the conception. Unfortunately,
the artistic effect of the lay is marred, for our modern
taste, by a certain lack of unity in bringing in
Brynhild's fierce love and hate. The intensity of
Guthrun's grief still lives for us in Tennyson's poignant
lyric "Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead." (1)
1. It was
suggested to him by Thorpe's translation of this lay.
Guthrun sate over dead
Sigurth's body. She wept not, like other women, yet her
heart was nigh bursting with sorrow. Both men and women
came to speak cheer to her; but that was not easy. It is
told that Guthrun had eaten of Fafnir's heart and hence
understood the speech of birds. (2) This lay, too, (3)
was indited about Guthrun.
2. This
remark----a reminiscence of the Sigurth motif----entirely
falls out of the context.
3. That
is, besides others that had been made of her.
1. Erst Gjuki's
daughter unto death was nigh,
as o'er Sigurth she
sate sorrowfully;
she whimpered not, nor
her hands she wrung,
nor wept, either, as
do women else.
2. Went to the widow
wise earls kindly,
the heavy heart of her
to ease;
nor yet Guthrun her
grief could weep,
in her bosom though
her heart would burst.
3. Sate then with her
the wives of earls,
with Gjuki's daughter
gold-dight women:
their greatest griefs
they gan tell her,
the fellest which had
befallen them.
4. Then quoth
Gjaflaug, (4) Gjuki's sister:
"On earth am I
most utterly wretched:
five highborn husbands
have I buried,
three of my daughters
three of my sisters,
and eight brothers;
yet on I live."
4. Unknown
elsewhere and probably the poet's own invention, like
Herborg and Gullrond.
5. Nor yet Guthrun her
grief could weep,
so sore her sorrow
o'er Sigurth's fall,
so cold her heart o'er
the king's body.
6. Then quoth Herborg,
the Hunnish queen:
"Sadder sorrow
suffered I still:
my seven sons in the
Southland all
fell whilom in battle,
my husband the eighth.
7. "Both father
and mother and four brothers
I lost in the waves,
on wind-tossed ship,
when the billows brake
'gainst the ship's bulwarks.
8. "Myself needs
buried the bodies all,
needs laid them out
and their limbs straightened.
This woe befell me in
one half year----
to soothe my sorrow no
soul did try.
9. "As captive
was I kept in bondage,
that very half year
this happened to me;
then trimmed I the
tresses, (5) and tied the shoes,
for the earl's
housewife every morning.
5. Freely
translated.
10. "With jealous
scorn she scolded me,
urged me to work with
angry stripes;
more friendly master
found I never, (6)
but harsher housewife
had I never."
6. Which
is probably the cause of the "jealous scorn."
This is the fate which befell the Irish princess Melkorka
(Laxdaela saga, Chap. 12), and Kudrun, in Normandy
(Kudrun, Aventiure 20 ff).
11. Nor yet Guthrun
her grief could weep,
so sore her sorrow
o'er Sigurth's fall,
so cold her heart o'er
the king's body.
12. Then quoth
Gullrond, Gjuki's daughter:
"Though old and
wise, but ill know'st thou,
foster mother, how the
mourner to comfort,"
and bade them bare the
king's body.
13. She swept the
sheet from Sigurth's corse
and brought the
bolster to the brooding one's knees:
"To the lief
one's lips lay thou my mouth,
as when didst hug when
hale, the warrior!"
14. Then cast one
glance Guthrun on him,
saw the dear one's
hair all dank with blood,
saw the folk-warder's
flashing eyes dimmed,
and the baron's breast
breached by the sword.
15. Then sank Guthrun
swooning on bolster----
her hair loosened, her
cheeks grew hot,
a rain of tears ran to
her knees.
16. Then wept Guthrun,
Gjuki's daughter,
that through her
tresses (7) the tears did flow,
and in the garth the
geese sang out, (8)
the far-famed fowl
which the fair one owned.
7. The
word is doubtful.
8. See
"Sigurtharkvidha hin skamma," St. 29.
17. Then quoth
Gullrond, Gjuki's daughter:
Knew I never beneath
heaven
greater love than was
given thee:
without nor within at
ease thou wast
but at Sigurth's side,
thou sister mine!"
(Guthrun said:)
18. "Seemed my
Sigurth 'mongst the sons of Gjuki
like the garlic, grown
the grass above, (9)
like a bright stone
set on band of gold,
a gleaming jewel, the
great ones among.
9. In some
German dialects the garlic still bears the name
Gruserich, "King of the Grasses." Compare the
similes in "Helgakvidha Hundingsbana" II, St.
38 and "Gudhrunarkvidha" II, St. 2.
19. "Was I
honored higher by the king's heroes
than any one of
Othin's maidens; (10)
as little am I as the
leaves hanging
on sallow twigs, now
Sigurth is dead.
10. The
valkyries.
20. "At board I
miss, and in bed also,
my bosom's friend.
'Tis my brothers' guilt-----
'tis my brothers'
guilt that this grief I bear----
their own sister----
and sore tears weep.
21. "May ye lose
your land, and lieges also,
as ill ye kept the
oaths ye sware.
No good, Gunnar, of
the gold will come:
the dragon's hoard thy
death will be,
since to Sigurth oaths
thou swarest.
22. "There was
greater glee in the garth, by far,
the time my Sigurth
did saddle Grani----
the time they wended
to woo Brynhild,
that ill wight, in
evil hour."
23. Then quoth
Brynhild, Buthli's daughter:
"May that hag
ne'er have husband nor children
who again taught thee
thy tears to shed,
and this morn gave
thee the might of speech!"
24. Then quoth
Gullrond, Gjuki's daughter:
"Hush thee,
Brynhild, who are hated by all:
athelings' ill fate
thou hast ever been,
and all did call thee
a curse to them----
a sorrow to seven
kings, (11)
and hast brought woe
to many a wife."
11. This
accusation is probably not to be taken literally. Compare
with "Helreidh Brynhildar," Sts. 2 and 4.
25. Then quoth
Brynhild, Buthli's daughter:
"From Atli all
this evil springs-----
to Buthli born, my
brother he----
'mongst Hunnish hosts
in the hall as we
the worm-bed's fire
(12) on the warrior saw.
But woe did bring
their wending thither:
ever since see I that
sight before me."
12. The
fire (that is, the glistening gold) of the dragon's
lair----a kenning for the treasure of the Nibelungs. The
evil entered, she avers, with the ill-fated visit of
Sigurth and the Burgundian kings to woo her. The treasure
corrupted Atli.
26. Neath stone post
stood she, nor restrained her wrath---- (13)
burned in Brynhild's,
Buthli's daughter's,
her eyes a fire: she
foamed with rage (14)
when the wounds she
saw on Sigurth's body.
13. The
rendition is doubtful.
14.
Literally, "spewed poison."
Guthrun then fared to the
woods and wastes until she came to Denmark. There she
stayed seven half-years with Thora, the daughter of
Hakon. (15) Brynhild would live no longer after Sigurth's
death. She had eight of her thralls and five of her
bondmaids slain. Then she slew herself with her sword, as
is told in "The Short Lay of Sigurth."
15. See
"Gudhrunarkvidha" II, St. 14.
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