Oddrúnarkviða

"I have heard it told

in olden tales

How a maiden came

to Morningland;

No one of all

on earth above

To Heithrek's daughter

help could give."

"This Oddrun learned,

the sister of Atli,

That sore the maiden's

sickness was;

The bit-bearer forth

from his stall she brought,

And the saddle laid

on the steed so black."

"She let the horse go

o'er the level ground,

Till she reached the hall

that loftily rose,

(And in she went

from the end of the hall;)

From the weary steed

the saddle she took;

Hear now the speech

that first she spake:"

"What news on earth,

*********

Or what has happened

in Hunland now?"

A serving-maid spake:

"Here Borgny lies

in bitter pain,

Thy friend, and, Oddrun,

thy help would find."

Oddrun spake:

"Who worked this woe

for the woman thus,

Or why so sudden

is Borgny sick?"

The serving-maid spake:

"Vilmund is he,

the heroes' friend,

Who wrapped the woman

in bedclothes warm,

(For winters five,

yet her father knew not)."

"Then no more

they spake, methinks;

She went at the knees

of the woman to sit;

With magic Oddrun

and mightily Oddrun

Chanted for Borgny

potent charms."

"At last were born

a boy and girl,

Son and daughter

of Hogni's slayer;

Then speech the woman

so weak began,

Nor said she aught

ere this she spake:"

"So may the holy

ones thee help,

Frigg and Freyja

and favoring gods,

As thou hast saved me

from sorrow now."

Oddrun spake:

"I came not hither

to help thee thus

Because thou ever

my aid didst earn;

I fulfilled the oath

that of old I swore,

That aid to all

I should ever bring,

(When they shared the wealth

the warriors had)."

Borgny spake:

"Wild art thou, Oddrun,

and witless now,

That so in hatred

to me thou speakest;

I followed thee

where thou didst fare,

As we had been born

of brothers twain."

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 to be,

And to Grimhild's son

in the South be wedded."

Oddrun spake:

"But Brynhild the helm

he bade to wear,

A wish-maid bright

he said she should be;

For a nobler maid

would never be born

On earth, he said,

if death should spare her."

"At her weaving Brynhild

sat in her bower,

Lands and folk

alike she had;

The earth and heaven

high resounded

When Fafnir's slayer

the city saw."

"Then battle was fought

with the foreign swords,

And the city was broken

that Brynhild had;

Not long thereafter,

but all too soon,

Their evil wiles

full well she knew."

"Woeful for this

her vengeance was,

As so we learned

to our sorrow all;

In every land

shall all men hear

How herself at Sigurth's

side she slew."

"Love to Gunnar

then I gave,

To the breaker of rings,

as Brynhild might;"

Oddrun spake:

"To Atli rings

so red they offered,

And mighty gifts

to my brother would give.

Fifteen dwellings

fain would he give

For me, and the burden

that Grani bore;"

"But Atli said

he would never receive

Marriage gold

from Gjuki's son.

Yet could we not

our love o'ercome,

And my head I laid

on the hero's shoulder;"

"Many there were

of kinsmen mine

Who said that together

us they had seen.

Atli said

that never I

Would evil plan,

or ill deed do;"

"But none may this

of another think,

Or surely speak,

when love is shared."

"Soon his men

did Atli send,

In the murky wood

on me to spy;

Thither they came

where they should not come,

Where beneath one cover

close we lay."

Oddrun spake:

"To the warriors ruddy

rings we offered,

That nought to Atli

e'er they should say;

But swiftly home

they hastened thence,

And eager all

to Atli told."

"But close from Guthrun

kept they hid

What first of all

she ought to have known.

*********

*********"

"Great was the clatter

of gilded hoofs

When Gjuki's sons

through the gateway rode;

The heart they hewed

from Hogni then,

And the other they cast

in the serpents' cave."

"Alone was I gone

to Geirmund then,

The draught to mix

and ready to make;

The hero wise

on his harp then smote,

*********

For help from me

in his heart yet hoped

The high-born king,

might come to him."

"Sudden I heard

from Hlesey clear

How in sorrow the strings

of the harp resounded.

I bade the serving-maids

ready to be,

For I longed the hero's

life to save;"

Oddrun spake:

"Across the sound

the boats we sailed,

Till we saw the whole

of Atli's home."

"Then crawling the evil

woman came,

Atli's mother

may she ever rot!

And hard she bit

to Gunnar's heart,

So I could not help

the hero brave."

"Oft have I wondered

how after this,

Serpents'-bed goddess!

I still might live,

For well I loved

the warrior brave,

The giver of swords,

as my very self."

"Thou didst see and listen,

the while I said

The mighty grief

that was mine and theirs;

Each man lives

as his longing wills,

Oddrun's lament

is ended now."