"Sveinn ok sveinn,

hverjum ertu svein of borinn?

Hverra ertu manna mögr,

er þú á Fáfni rautt

þinn inn frána mæki?

Stöndumk til hjarta hjörr."

"Youth, oh, youth!

of whom then, youth, art thou born?

Say whose son thou art,

Who in Fafnir's blood

thy bright blade reddened,

And struck thy sword to my heart."

"Göfugt dýr ek heiti,

en ek gengit hefk

inn móðurlausi mögr,

föður ek ákk-a

sem fira synir;

æ geng ek einn saman."

"The Noble Hart

my name, and I go

A motherless man abroad;

Father I had not,

as others have,

And lonely ever I live."

Fáfnir kvað:

"Veiztu, ef föður né átt-at

sem fira synir,

af hverju vastu undri alinn?"

Fafnir spake:

"If father thou hadst not,

as others have,

By what wonder wast thou born?

(Though thy name on the day

of my death thou hidest,

Thou knowest now thou dost lie.)"

Sigurðr kvað:

"Ætterni mitt

kveð ek þér ókunnigt vera

ok mik sjalfan it sama;

Sigurðr ek heiti,

Sigmundr hét minn faðir,

er hefk þik vápnum vegit."

Sigurth spake:

"My race, methinks,

is unknown to thee,

And so am I myself;

Sigurth my name,

and Sigmund's son,

Who smote thee thus with the sword."

Fáfnir kvað:

"Hverr þik hvatti?

Hví hvetjask lézt

mínu fjörvi at fara?

Inn fráneygi sveinn,

þú áttir föður bitran;

óbornum skjór á skeið."

Fafnir spake:

"Who drove thee on?

why wert thou driven

My life to make me lose?

A father brave

had the bright-eyed youth,

For bold in boyhood thou art."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Hugr mik hvatti,

hendr mér fulltýðu

ok minn inn hvassi hjörr;

fár er hvatr,

er hröðask tekr,

ef í barnæsku er blauðr."

Sigurth spake:

"My heart did drive me,

my hand fulfilled,

And my shining sword so sharp;

Few are keen

when old age comes,

Who timid in boyhood be."

Fáfnir kvað:

"Veit ek, ef þú vaxa næðir

fyr þinna vina brjósti,

sæi maðr þik vreiðan vega;

nú ertu haftr

ok hernuminn;

æ kveða bandingja bifask."

Fafnir spake:

"If thou mightest grow

thy friends among,

One might see thee fiercely fight;

But bound thou art,

and in battle taken,

And to fear are prisoners prone."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Því bregðr þú mér, Fáfnir,

at til fjarri séak

mínum feðrmunum;

eigi em ek haftr,

þótt ek væra hernumi;

þú fannt, at ek laus lifi."

Sigurth spake:

"Thou blamest me, Fafnir,

that I see from afar

The wealth that my father's was;

Not bound am I,

though in battle taken,

Thou hast found that free I live."

Fáfnir kvað:

"Heiftyrði ein

telr þú þér í hvívetna,

en ek þér satt eitt segik:

It gjalla gull

ok it glóðrauða fé,

þér verða þeir baugar at bana."

Fafnir spake:

"In all I say

dost thou hatred see,

Yet truth alone do I tell;

The sounding gold,

the glow-red wealth,

And the rings thy bane shall be."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Féi ráða

vill fyrða hverr

æ til ins eina dags;

því at einu sinni

skal alda hverr

fara til heljar heðan."

Sigurth spake:

"Some one the hoard

shall ever hold,

Till the destined day shall come;

For a time there is

when every man

Shall journey hence to hell."

Fáfnir kvað:

"Norna dóm

þú munt fyr nesjum hafa

ok ósvinns apa;

í vatni þú drukknar,

ef í vindi rær;

allt er feigs forað."

Fafnir spake:

"The fate of the Norns

before the headland

Thou findest, and doom of a fool;

In the water shalt drown

if thou row 'gainst the wind,

All danger is near to death."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Segðu mér, Fáfnir,

alls þik fróðan kveða

ok vel margt vita,

hverjar ro þær nornir,

er nauðgönglar ro

ok kjósa mæðr frá mögum."

Sigurth spake:

"Tell me then, Fafnir,

for wise thou art famed,

And much thou knowest now:

Who are the Norns

who are helpful in need,

And the babe from the mother bring?"

Fáfnir kvað:

"Sundrbornar mjök

segi ek nornir vera,

eigu-t þær ætt saman;

sumar eru áskunngar,

sumar alfkunngar,

sumar dætr Dvalins."

Fafnir spake:

"Of many births

the Norns must be,

Nor one in race they were;

Some to gods, others

to elves are kin,

And Dvalin's daughters some."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Segðu mér þat, Fáfnir,

alls þik fróðan kveða

ok vel margt vita,

hvé sá holmr heitir,

er blanda hjörlegi

Surtr ok æsir saman."

Sigurth spake:

"Tell me then, Fafnir,

for wise thou art famed,

And much thou knowest now:

How call they the isle

where all the gods

And Surt shall sword-sweat mingle?"

Fáfnir kvað:

"Óskópnir hann heitir,

en þar öll skulu

geirum leika goð;

Bilröst brotnar,

er þeir á brú fara,

ok svima í móðu marir."

Fafnir spake:

"Oskopnir is it,

where all the gods

Shall seek the play of swords;

Bilrost breaks

when they cross the bridge,

And the steeds shall swim in the flood."

"Ægishjalm

bar ek of alda sonum,

meðan ek of menjum lák;

einn rammari

hugðumk öllum vera,

fannk-a ek svá marga mögu."

Fafnir spake:

"The fear-helm I wore

to afright mankind,

While guarding my gold I lay;

Mightier seemed I

than any man,

For a fiercer never I found."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Ægishjalmr

bergr einungi,

hvar skulu vreiðir vega;

þá þat finnr,

er með fleirum kemr,

at engi er einna hvatastr."

Sigurth spake:

"The fear-helm surely

no man shields

When he faces a valiant foe;

Oft one finds,

when the foe he meets,

That he is not the bravest of all.,"

Fáfnir kvað:

"Eitri ek fnæsta,

er ek á arfi lá

miklum míns föður.

*********"

Fafnir spake:

"Venom I breathed

when bright I lay

By the hoard my father had;

(There was none so mighty

as dared to meet me,

And weapons nor wiles I feared.)"

Sigurðr kvað:

"Inn fráni ormr,

þú gerðir fræs mikla

ok galzt harðan hug;

heift at meiri

verðr hölða sonum,

at þann hjalm hafi."

Sigurth spake:

"Glittering worm,

thy hissing was great,

And hard didst show thy heart;

But hatred more

have the sons of men

For him who owns the helm."

Fáfnir kvað:

"Ræð ek þér nú, Sigurðr,

en þú ráð nemir,

ok ríð heim heðan;

it gjalla gull

ok it glóðrauða fé,

þér verða þeir baugar at bana."

Fafnir spake:

"I counsel thee, Sigurth,

heed my speech,

And ride thou homeward hence,

The sounding gold,

the glow-red wealth,

And the rings thy bane shall be."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Ráð er þér ráðit,

en ek ríða mun

til þess gulls, er í lyngvi liggr,

en þú, Fáfnir,

ligg í fjörbrotum,

þar er þik hel hafi."

Sigurth spake:

"Thy counsel is given,

but go I shall

To the gold in the heather hidden;

And, Fafnir, thou

with death dost fight,

Lying where Hel shall have thee."

Fáfnir kvað:

"Reginn mik réð,

hann þik ráða mun,

hann mun okkr verða báðum at bana;

fjör sitt láta,

hygg ek, at Fáfnir myni;

þitt varð nú meira megin."

Fafnir spake:

"Regin betrayed me,

and thee will betray,

Us both to death will he bring;

His life, methinks,

must Fafnir lose,

For the mightier man wast thou."

"Heill þú nú, Sigurðr,

nú hefir þú sigr vegit

ok Fáfni of farit;

manna þeira,

er mold troða,

þik kveð ek óblauðastan alinn."

"Hail to thee, Sigurth!

Thou victory hast,

And Fafnir in fight hast slain;

Of all the men

who tread the earth,

Most fearless art thou, methinks."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Þat er óvíst at vita,

þá er komum allir saman,

sigtíva synir,

hverr óblauðastr er alinn;

margr er sá hvatr,

er hjör né rýðr

annars brjóstum í."

Sigurth spake:

"Unknown it is,

when all are together,

(The sons of the glorious gods,)

Who bravest born shall seem;

Some are valiant

who redden no sword

In the blood of a foeman's breast."

Reginn kvað:

"Glaðr ertu nú, Sigurðr,

ok gagni feginn,

er þú þerrir Gram á grasi;

bróður minn

hefr þú benjaðan,

ok vald ek þó sjalfr sumu."

Regin spake:

"Glad art thou, Sigurth,

of battle gained,

As Gram with grass thou cleansest;

My brother fierce

in fight hast slain,

And somewhat I did myself."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Þú því rétt,

er ek ríða skyldak

hélug fjöll hinig;

féi ok fjörvi

réði sá inn fráni ormr,

nema þú frýðir mér hvats hugar."

Sigurth spake:

"Afar didst thou go

while Fafnir reddened

With his blood my blade so keen;

With the might of the dragon

my strength I matched,

While thou in the heather didst hide."

"Sittu nú, Sigurðr,

en ek mun sofa ganga,

ok halt Fáfnis hjarta við funa;

eisköld ek vil

etin láta

eftir þenna dreyra drykk."

Regin spake:

"Longer wouldst thou

in the heather have let

Yon hoary giant hide,

Had the weapon availed not

that once I forged,

The keen-edged blade thou didst bear."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Fjarri þú gekkt,

meðan ek á Fáfni rauðk

minn inn hvassa hjör;

afli mínu

atta ek við orms megin,

meðan þú í lyngvi látt."

Sigurth spake:

"Better is heart

than a mighty blade

For him who shall fiercely fight;

The brave man well

shall fight and win,

Though dull his blade may be."

Reginn kvað:

"Lengi liggja

létir þú lyngvi í

þann inn aldna jötun,

ef þú sverðs né nytir,

þess er ek sjalfr gerða,

ok þíns ins hvassa hjörs."

"Brave men better

than cowards be,

When the clash of battle comes;

And better the glad

than the gloomy man

Shall face what before him lies."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Hugr er betri

en sé hjörs megin,

hvars vreiðir skulu vega,

því at hvatan mann

ek sé harðliga vega

með slævu sverði sigr."

"Thy rede it was

that I should ride

Hither o'er mountains high;

The glittering worm

would have wealth and life

If thou hadst not mocked at my might."

"Hvötum er betra

en sé óhvötum

í hildileik hafask;

glöðum er betra

en sé glúpnanda,

hvat sem at hendi kemr."

"Sit now, Sigurth,

for sleep will I,

Hold Fafnir's heart to the fire;

For all his heart

shall eaten be,

Since deep of blood I have drunk."

"Þar sitr Sigurðr

sveita stokkinn,

Fáfnis hjarta

við funa steikir;

spakr þætti mér

spillir bauga,

ef hann fjörsega

fránan æti."

"There sits Sigurth,

sprinkled with blood,

And Fafnir's heart

with fire he cooks;

Wise were the breaker

of rings, I ween,

To eat the life-muscles

all so bright."

Önnur kvað:

"Þar liggr Reginn,

ræðr um við sik,

vill tæla mög,

þann er trúir hánum,

berr af reiði

röng orð saman,

vill bölvasmiðr

bróður hefna."

A second spake:

"There Regin lies,

and plans he lays

The youth to betray

who trusts him well;

Lying words

with wiles will he speak,

Till his brother the maker

of mischief avenges."

In þriðja kvað:

"Höfði skemmra

láti hann inn hára þul

fara til heljar heðan;

öllu gulli

þá kná hann einn ráða,

fjölð því er und Fáfni lá."

A third spake:

"Less by a head

let the chatterer hoary

Go from here to hell;

Then all of the wealth

he alone can wield,

The gold that Fafnir guarded."

In fjórða kvað:

"Horskr þætti mér,

ef hafa kynni

ástráð mikit

yðvar systra,

hygði hann of sik

ok hugin gleddi;

þar er mér ulfs ván,

er ek eyru sék."

A fourth spake:

"Wise would he seem

if so he would heed

The counsel good

we sisters give;

Thought he would give,

and the ravens gladden,

There is ever a wolf

where his ears I spy."

In fimmta kvað:

"Er-at svá horskr

hildimeiðr

sem ek hers jaðar

hyggja myndak,

ef hann bróður lætr

á brot komask,

en hann öðrum hefir

aldrs of synjat."

A fifth spake:

"Less wise must be

the tree of battle

Than to me would seem

the leader of men,

If forth he lets

one brother fare,

When he of the other

the slayer is."

In sétta kvað:

"Mjök er ósviðr,

ef hann enn sparir

fjánda inn folkskáa,

þar er Reginn liggr,

er hann ráðinn hefr,

kann-at hann við slíku at séa."

A sixth spake:

"Most foolish he seems

if he shall spare

His foe, the bane of the folk,

There Regin lies,

who hath wronged him so,

Yet falsehood knows he not."

In sjaunda kvað:

"Höfði skemmra láti hann

þann inn hrímkalda jötun

ok af baugum búa;

þá mun hann fjár þess,

er Fáfnir réð,

einvaldi vera."

A seventh spake:

"Let the head from the frost-cold

giant be hewed,

And let him of rings be robbed;

Then all the wealth

which Fafnir's was

Shall belong to thee alone."

Sigurðr kvað:

"Verða-t svá rík sköp,

at Reginn skyli

mitt banorð bera;

því at þeir báðir bræðr

skulu bráðliga

fara til heljar heðan."

Sigurth spake:

"Not so rich a fate

shall Regin have

As the tale of my death to tell;

For soon the brothers

both shall die,

And hence to hell shall go."

"Bitt þú, Sigurðr,

bauga rauða;

er-a konungligt

kvíða mörgu.

Mey veit ek eina

miklu fegrsta,

gulli gædda,

ef þú geta mættir."

"Bind, Sigurth, the golden

rings together, Not kingly is it

aught to fear; I know a maid,

there is none so fair, Rich in gold,

if thou mightest get her."

"Liggja til Gjúka

grænar brautir,

fram vísa sköp

folklíðöndum;

þar hefir dýrr konungr

dóttur alna;

þá muntu, Sigurðr,

mundi kaupa."

"Green the paths

that to Gjuki lead,

And his fate the way

to the wanderer shows;

The doughty king

a daughter has,

That thou as a bride

mayst, Sigurth, buy."

"Salr er á háu

Hindarfjalli,

allr er hann útan

eldi sveipinn,

þann hafa horskir

halir of görvan

ór ódökkum

Ógnar ljóma."

Another spake:

"A hall stands high

on Hindarfjoll,

All with flame

is it ringed without;

Warriors wise

did make it once

Out of the flaming

light of the flood."

"Veit ek á fjalli

folkvitr sofa

ok leikr yfir

lindar váði;

Yggr stakk þorni,

aðra felldi

hör-Gefn hali

en hafa vildi."

"On the mountain sleeps

a battle-maid,

And about her plays

the bane of the wood;

Ygg with the thorn

hath smitten her thus,

For she felled the fighter

he fain would save."

"Knáttu, mögr, séa

mey und hjalmi,

þá er frá vígi

Vingskorni reið;

má-at Sigrdrífar

svefni bregða

skjöldunga niðr

fyr sköpum norna."

"There mayst thou behold

the maiden helmed,

Who forth on Vingskornir

rode from the fight;

The victory-bringer

her sleep shall break not,

Thou heroes' son,

so the Norns have set."