Not yet are ended Guthrun's sorrows. Her dearest child, Svanhild, her daughter by Sigurth, had been fostered at King Jonakr's court, out of harm's way. Thither Guthrun was carried by the waves, after vainly trying to end her life by drowning---a development of the legend peculiar to the North. She married the king. In this poem her sons by King Jonakr are sacrificed in an attempt to avenge Svanhild's death on King Jormunrekk---this theme from old Gothic legend had been touched on already by Jordanes (sixth century). Their fall leaves Guthrun utterly bereaved and unwilling to live longer.

Of the two lays dealing with this matter, "The Lay of Hamthir" and "Guthrun's Lament," the former is unquestionably the older and more original. However, here as elsewhere, the order of the Codex Regius is followed, an order which is advatageious also by reason of the Introductory Prose.

After iterating, in a somewhat modified form, the first stanzas of the older lay, the poet gives us lonely Guthrun's lament before the self-immolation which her rival, Brynhild, had suggested to her after Sigurth's death. (2) Indeed, one is tempted to regard the "Lament" as an elaboration of the hint there given.

2. "Sigurtharkvidha hin skamma," St. 60.

In its essence the poem is a biographic monologue (like "Gudhrunarkvidha" I, II, "Helreidh Brynhildar," and "Oddrunargratr"), not devoid of lyrical power and not at all an "incitation." In fact it seems to presuppose the action of "Hamdhismal." The break between the tenderly elegiac portion and the first stanzas, whose spirit is that of the fiery "Hamdhismal," is unmistakable. Toward the end, a reminiscence of the Sweet William motif of "The Second Lay of Helgi" appears. These beautiful stanzas are, to be sure, by some scholars considered to have originally belonged to some other poem about Sigurth.

The measure of the lay is fornyrdhislag. It is generally referred to the eleventh century, and was most likely composed in Iceland. The Volsunga saga, Chap. 41, gives a close paraphrase of it.

When she had slain Atli, Guthrun went down to the sea to drown herself; but she could not sink. She floated across the bay to the land of King Jonakr. (3) He took her to wife, and their sons were Sorli, Erp, (4) and Hamthir. There was also fostered Svanhild, (5) her daughter by Sigurth.

3. His name is either Slavic, and his lands hence across the Baltic, or else a corruption of Odoacher, the Germanic ruler of Italy during the fifth century.

4. According to "Hamdhismal," St. 14, and the indirect evidence of the lay itself, which has the dual form in Guthrun's address to her sons, Erp was Jonakr's son by another woman. His name signifies "the Brownish One." The names of his half brothers are of doubtful meaning.

5. "(She who fights) in Swan Garment."

Svanhild was given in marriage to King Jormunrekk (6) the Mighty. Bikki was his councillor: it was he who led on Randver, the king's son, to wish to wed her himself. This, Bikki told the king. He had Randver hanged on the gallows and Svanhild killed under the hoofs of horses. (7) But when Guthrun heard of this she spake to her sons (as is told here).

6. Historically, Ermanarich, King of the Ostrogoths in the fourth century.

7. According to the more detailed account of the Volsunga saga, Chap. 40, and similarly in "Skaldskaparmal," Chap. 39, Randver and Bikki had been sent to Jonakr to sue for Svanhild's hand. On their return journey the king's son follows Bikki's false counsel and makes love to her. It is returned. They are subsequently betrayed by Bikki. Before mounting the gallows, Randver plucks a hawk of all his feathers and sends him to his father. The King understands from this token that by the deed he will be shorn of honor as the bird is of feathers and orders his son taken off the gallows; but too late. Whereupon, again instigated by Bikki, the king's wrath turns on Svanhild as the origin of his dishonor. "Then she was bound in the castle gate and horses driven over her. But when she opened her eyes the horses dared not tread on her. When Bikki saw this he said that a sack should be drawn over her head, and so was done, and then she lost her life."

1. Wickedest words, most woe-bringing,

out of hate-filled heart heard I spoken

when, unflinching, egged to slaughter

Guthrun her sons with grim speeches.

2. "Why sit ye still and sleep through life,

nor loathe to speak light-hearted words,

when Jormunrekk your young sister,

her, Svanhild hight, had by horses trampled. (8)

8. The Translator has omitted two lines here which are identical with "Hamdhismal," St. 3, I. 3-4.

3. "Ye are little like beloved Gunnar,

nor like to Hogni's stout heart is yours:

your sister's slayer would ye seek forthwith

if bold ye were like my brothers twain,

or if hardy you were like the Hunnish kings." (9)

9. That is, the race of Sigurth.

4. Said then Hamthir, the hardy-minded:

"Not so highly thought'st thou of Hogni's deed

when from sleep they waked Sigurth, thy spouse: (10)

with blood was thy bluish-white bed linen reddened

from grievous gashes, in his gore as he lay.

10. See "Brot af Sigurdharkvidhu," Concluding Prose, and "Sigurtharkvidha hin skamma," Sts.22 ff.

5. "Bitterly didst thou thy brethren avenge,

for thyself most sadly, when thy sons didst murder; (11)

with the youths could we Jormunrekk kill----

our sister's slayer---- of the same mind all.

11. Her sons by Atli, Erp and Eitil, slain by 'her to avenge the death of the Niflungs. See Sts. 11-12 below, "Atlakvidha," Sts. 37 ff, and "Atlamal," Sts. 74 ff.

6. "The helmets (12) bring of the Hunnish kings---

has whetted us to hateful strife."

12. In the original, "precious things" ("heirlooms"?).

7. Laughing, Guthrun to the garner wended,

and kingly crests she from coffers chose,

and broad byrnies brought to her sons:

the hardy heroes their horses mounted.

8. Then said Hamthir the high-minded:

"So will wend hither to his mother's hall

the god-of-spears, (13) in Gothland (14) slain,

that for all of us thou mayst arvel drink:

for Svanhild, our sister, and thy sons also."

13. Kenning for "warrior" : he himself. He foresees his own death.

14. Here, for Jormunrekk's dominions.

9. Weeping, Guthrun, Gjuki's daughter,

sate her sadly beside the hall

with tear-wet cheeks, to tell her sorrow,

her weary tale, in many a way.

10. "Three homes knew I, three hearth fires;

was I brought to the hall of husbands three;

matchless 'mong men was to me Sigurth---

he whom murdered Hogni and Gunnar.

11. "More woeful wife, (15) ween I, never lived,

(nor was ever wight in the world thus wronged); (16)

but sadder still seemed it to me

when the athelings to Atli gave me.

15. Conjectural.

16. Supplied after Bugge's suggestion.

12. "The keen-eyed youths (17) I called to me:

to wreak my wrath I wrought it thus:

I hewed off the heads of the Hniflung heirs.

17. Erp and Eitil. See "Atlakvidha," Sts. 39 ff, and "Atlamal," Sts. 71 ff.

13. "To the sea I wended, weary of life,

the hateful norns I hoped to thwart: (18)

tossed me, nor drowned, the tow'ring billows,

on land me lifted, to live on doomed.

18. By cutting short the life allotted to her by them (conjectural).

14. "The bed I mounted--- had better fate hoped----

once more mated, with a mighty king. (19)

I issue bore, as heirs twain sons,

as heirs twain sons to the atheling.

19. Jonakr.

15. "About Svanhild seated sate her bondmaids,

whom of all my children I cherished most:

of hue whiter, my halls within,

than bright sunbeams were Svanhild's brows.

16. "In gold I arrayed her and goodly cloths,

ere that to Gothland I gave her away.

17. "The saddest this of my sorrows all,

when horses' feet the fair hair trod

on Svanhild's head, besmirched in mire.

18. "But sorest this, (20) when my Sigurth they

did murder foully, fey, in my bed;

but bitterest this, when my brother Gunnar

the glittering snakes slavered over.

20. A crescendo of comparison is scarcely intended in Stanzas 17-19.

19. "But hardest this, when to the heart

of hardy Hogni hewed the king's men.

I called to mind many sorrows----

(why should I bide to bear still more?) (21)

21. Supplied after Bugge's suggestion.

20. "Bridle, Sigurth, the black-hued steed,

let the fleet-footed horse hitherward run:

here sitteth with me nor son's wife nor daughter

to give Guthrun golden trinkets. (22)

22. She is utterly alone now, foreseeing the death of her last begotten sons, with neither kinsman nor kinswoman to comfort her. See "Hamdhismal," Sts. 24 ff.

21. "To mind call thou what to me didst say,

the time we, Sigurth, sate together:

that from Hel, hero, would'st hither wend,

as would I to thee out of the world.

22. "Raise up, ye earls, the oaken heap,

under heaven let it the highest be,

that fire may burn the hate-filled breast's

carks and cares, and quell all sorrows.

23. "May it lighten your lot, ye earls,

and ye, noble women, your woe also,

to have hearkened to the harrowing tale

(of Guthrun's sorrows, Gjuki's daughter)." (23)

23. Supplied after Grundtvig's suggestion.

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