The Lay of Helgi the Son of Hjörvard
Frá Hjörvarði ok Sigrlinn.
Hjörvarðr hét konungr. Hann átti fjórar konur. Ein hét Álfhildr. Son þeira hét Heðinn. Önnur hét Særeiðr. Þeira son hét Humlungr. In þriðja hét Sinrjóð. Þeira son hét Hymlingr.
Hjörvarðr konungr hafði þess heit strengt at eiga þá konu, er hann vissi vænsta. Hann spurði, at Sváfnir konungr átti dóttur allra fegrsta. Sú hét Sigrlinn. Iðmundr hét jarl hans. Atli var hans son, er fór at biðja Sigrlinnar til handa konungi. Hann dvalðist vetrlangt með Sváfni konungi. Fránmarr hét þar jarl, fóstri Sigrlinnar. Dóttir hans hét Álof. Jarlinn réð, at meyjar var synjat, ok fór Atli heim.
Atli jarls son stóð einn dag við lund nökkurn, en fugl sat í limunum uppi yfir hánum ok hafði heyrt til, at hans menn kölluðu vænstar konur þær, er Hjörvarðr átti. Fuglinn kvakaði, en Atli hlýddi, hvat hann sagði. Hann kvað:
Of Hjorvarth and Sigrlin
Hjorvarth was the name of a king, who had four wives: one was called Alfhild, and their son was named Hethin; the second was called Særeith, and their son was named Humlung; the third was called Sinrjoth, and their son was named Hymling. King Hjorvarth had made a great vow to have as wife whatsoever woman he knew was fairest. He learned that King Svafnir had a daughter fairer than all others, whose name was Sigrlin. Ithmund was the name of one of his jarls; he had a son called Atli, who went to woo Sigrlin on behalf of the king. He dwelt the winter long with King Svafnir. There was a jarl called Franmar, Sigrlin's foster-father; his daughter was named Alof. The jarl told him that the maiden's hand was denied, and Atli went home.
Atli, the jarl's son, stood one day in a certain wood; a bird sat in the branches up over him, and it had heard that his men called Hjorvarth's wives the fairest of women. The bird twittered, and Atli hearkened to what it spoke. It said:
"Sáttu Sigrlinn
Sváfnis dóttur,
mey ina fegrstu
í munarheimi?
Þó hagligar
Hjörvarðs konur
gumnum þykkja
at Glasislundi."
"Sawest thou Sigrlin,
Svafnir's daughter,
The fairest maid
in her home-land found?
Though Hjorvath's wives
by men are held
Goodly to see
in Glasir's wood."
Atli kvað:
"Mundu við Atla
Iðmundar son,
fugl fróðhugaðr,
fleira mæla?"
Fuglinn kvað:
"Mun ek, ef mik buðlungr
blóta vildi
ok kýs ek þats vil
ór konungs garði."
Atli spake:
"Now with Atli,
Ithmund's son,
Wilt thou say more,
thou bird so wise?"
The bird spake:
"I may if the prince
an offering makes,
And I have what I will
from the house of the king."
Atli kvað:
"Kjós-at-tu Hjörvarð
né hans sonu
né inar fögru
fylkis brúðir,
eigi brúðir þær,
er buðlungr á;
kaupum vel saman,
þat er vina kynni."
Atli spake:
"Choose not Hjorvarth,
nor sons of his,
Nor the wives so fair
of the famous chief;
Ask not the brides
that the prince's are;
Fair let us deal
in friendly wise."
Fuglinn kvað:
"Hof mun ek kjósa,
hörga marga,
gullhyrnðar kýr
frá grams búi,
ef hánum Sigrlinn
sefr á armi
ok ónauðig
jöfri fylgir."
The bird spake:
"A fane will I ask,
and altars many,
Gold-horned cattle
the prince shall give me,
If Sigrlin yet
shall sleep in his arms,
Or free of will
the hero shall follow."
Þetta var, áðr Atli færi, en er hann kom heim ok konungr spurði hann tíðenda, hann kvað:
This was before Atli went on his journey; but when he came home, and the king asked his tidings, he said:
"Höfum erfiði
ok ekki örindi,
mara þraut óra
á meginfjalli,
urðum síðan
Sæmorn vaða,
þá var oss synjat
Sváfnis dóttur,
hringum gæddrar,
er vér hafa vildum."
"Trouble we had,
but tidings none,
Our horses failed
in the mountains high,
The waters of Sæmorn
we needs must wade;
Svafnir's daughter,
with rings bedecked,
She whom we sought,
was still denied us."
Konungr bað, at þeir skyldu fara annat sinn. Fór hann sjálfr. En er þeir kómu upp á fjall, ok sá á Sváfaland landsbruna ok jóreyki stóra. Reið konungr af fjallinu fram í landit ok tók náttból við á eina. Atli helt vörð ok fór yfir ána. Hann fann eitt hús. Fugl mikill sat á húsinu ok gætti, ok var sofnaðr. Atli skaut spjóti fuglinn til bana, en í húsinu fann hann Sigrlinn konungs dóttur ok Álofu jarls dóttur ok hafði þær báðar braut með sér. Fránmarr jarl hafði hamazt í arnar líki ok varit þær fyrir hernum með fjölkynngi. Hróðmarr hét konungr, biðill Sigrlinnar. Hann drap Sváfakonung ok hafði rænt ok brent landit. Hjörvarðr konungr fekk Sigrlinnar, en Atli Álofar.
Hjörvarðr ok Sigrlinn áttu son mikinn ok vænan. Hann var þögull. Ekki nafn festist við hann. Hann sat á haugi. Hann sá ríða valkyrjur níu ok var ein göfugligust. Hon kvað:
The king bade that they should go another time, and he went with them himself, But when they came up on the mountain, they saw Svavaland burning and mighty dust-clouds from many steeds. The king rode from the mountain forward into the land, and made a night's stay hard by a stream. Atli kept watch and went over the stream; he found there a house. A great bird sat on the housetop to guard it, but he was asleep. Atli hurled his spear at the bird and slew it, and in the house he found Sigrlin the king's daughter and Alof the jarl's daughter, and he brought them both thence with him. Jarl Franmar had changed himself into the likeness of an eagle, and guarded them from the enemy host by magic. Hrothmar was the name of a king, a wooer of Sigrlin; he slew the king of Svavaland and had plundered and burned his land. King Hjorvarth took Sigrlin, and Atli took Alof.
Hjorvarth and Sigrlin had a son, mighty and of noble stature; he was a silent man, and no name stuck fast to him. He sat on a hill, and saw nine Valkyries riding; one of them was the fairest of all. She spake:
"Síð muntu, Helgi,
hringum ráða,
ríkr rógapaldr,
né Röðulsvöllum,
— örn gól árla, —
ef þú æ þegir,
þótt þú harðan hug,
hilmir, gjaldir."
"Late wilt thou, Helgi,
have hoard of rings,
Thou battle-tree fierce,
or of shining fields,
The eagle screams soon,
if never thou speakest,
Though, hero, hard
thy heart may cry."
Helgi kvað:
"Hvat lætr þú fylgja
Helga nafni,
brúðr bjartlituð,
alls þú bjóða ræðr?
Hygg þú fyr öllum
atkvæðum vel.
Þigg ek eigi þat,
nema ek þik hafa."
Helgi spake:
"What gift shall I have
with Helgi's name,
Glorious maid,
for the giving is thine?
All thy words
shall I think on well,
But I want them not
if I win not thee."
Valkyrja kvað:
"Sverð veit ek liggja
í Sigarsholmi
fjórum færi
en fimm tögu;
eitt er þeira
öllum betra
vígnesta böl
ok varit gulli."
The Valkyrie spake:
"Swords I know lying
in Sigarsholm,
Fifty there are
save only four;
One there is
that is best of all,
The shield-destroyer,
with gold it shines."
"Hringr er í hjalti,
hugr er í miðju,
ógn er í oddi
þeim er eiga getr;
liggr með eggju
ormr dreyrfáiðr,
en á valböstu
verpr naðr hala."
"In the hilt is fame,
in the haft is courage,
In the point is fear,
for its owner's foes;
On the blade there lies
a blood-flecked snake,
And a serpent's tail
round the flat is twisted."
Eylimi hét konungr. Dóttir hans var Sváfa. Hon var valkyrja ok reið loft ok lög. Hon gaf Helga nafn þetta ok hlífði hánum oft síðan í orrostum. Helgi kvað:
Eylimi was the name of a king, whose daughter was Svava; she was a Valkyrie, and rode air and sea. She gave Helgi this name, and shielded him oft thereafter in battle. Helgi spake:
"Ert-at-tu, Hjörvarðr
heilráðr konungr,
folks oddviti,
þótt þú frægr séir;
léztu eld eta
jöfra byggðir,
en þeir angr við þik
ekki gerðu."
"Hjorvarth, king,
unwholesome thy counsels,
Though famed thou art
in leading the folk,
Letting fire the homes of heroes eat,
Who evil deed had never done thee."
"En Hróðmarr skal
hringum ráða,
þeim er áttu
órir niðjar;
sá sésk fylkir
fæst at lífi,
hyggsk aldauða
arfi at ráða."
Hjörvarðr svarar, at hann mundi fá lið Helga, ef hann vill hefna móðurföður síns. Þá sótti Helgi sverðit, er Sváfa vísaði hánum til. Þá fór hann ok Atli ok felldu Hróðmar ok unnu mörg þrekvirki. Hann drap Hata jötun, er hann sat á bergi nökkuru. Helgi ok Atli lágu skipum í Hatafirði. Atli helt vörð inn fyrra hluta nætrinnar. Hrímgerðr Hatadóttir kvað:
Hrímgerðarmál
Yet Hrothmar still the hoard doth hold, The wealth that once our kinsmen wielded; Full seldom care the king disturbs, Heir to dead men he deems himself.
Hjorvarth answered that he would give Helgi a following if he fain would avenge his mother's father. Then Helgi got the sword that Svava had told him of. So he went, and Atli with him, and they slew Hrothmar, and they did many great deeds.
He slew the giant Hati, whom he found sitting on a certain mountain. Helgi and Atli lay with their ships in Hatafjord. Atli kept watch during the first part of the night. Hrimgerth, Hati's daughter, spake:
"Hverir ro hölðar
í Hatafirði?
Skjöldum er tjaldat á skipum;
fræknliga látið,
fátt hygg ek yðr séask,
kennið mér nafn konungs."
"Who are the heroes
in Hatafjord? The ships are covered with shields; Bravely ye look,
and little ye fear, The name of the king would I know."
Atli kvað:
"Helgi hann heitir,
en þú hvergi mátt
vinna grand grami;
járnborgir ro
of öðlings flota;
knegu-t oss fálur fara."
Atli spake:
"Helgi his name,
and never thou mayst Harm to the hero bring; With iron is fitted
the prince's fleet, Nor can witches work us ill."
Hrímgerðr kvað:
"Hvé þik heitir,
halr inn ámáttki,
hvé þik kalla konir?
Fylkir þér trúir,
er þik í fögrum lætr
beits stafni búa."
Hrimgerth spake:
"Who now, thou mighty
man, art thou? By what name art thou known to men? He trusts thee well,
the prince who wills That thou stand at the stem of his ship."
Atli kvað:
"Atli ek heiti,
atall skal ek þér vera,
mjök em ek gífrum gramastr;
úrgan stafn
ek hefi oft búit
ok kvalðar kveldriður."
Atli spake:
"Atli am I,
and ill shalt thou find me, Great hate for witches I have; Oft have I been
in the dripping bows, And to dusk-riders death have brought."
"Hvé þú heitir,
hála nágráðug?
Nefndu þinn, fála, föður;
níu röstum
er þú skyldi neðar vera
ok vaxi þér á baðmi barr."
Atli spake:
"Corpse-hungry giantess,
how art thou called?
Say, witch, who thy father was!
Nine miles deeper
down mayst thou sink,
And a tree grow tall on thy bosom."
Hrímgerðr kvað:
"Hrímgerðr ek heiti,
Hati hét minn faðir,
þann vissa ek ámáttkastan jötun;
margar brúðir
hann lét frá búi teknar,
unz hann Helgi hjó."
Hrimgerth spake:
"Hrimgerth am I,
my father was Hati,
Of giants the most in might;
Many a woman
he won from her home,
Ere Helgi hewed him down."
Atli kvað:
"Þú vart, hála,
fyr hildings skipum
ok látt í fjarðar mynni fyrir;
ræsis rekka
er þú vildir Rán gefa,
ef þér kæmi-t í þverst þvari."
Atli spake:
"Witch, in front
of the ship thou wast,
And lay before the fjord;
To Ron wouldst have given
the ruler's men,
If a spear had not stuck in thy flesh."
Hrímgerðr kvað:
"Duliðr ertu nú, Atli,
draums kveð ek þér vera,
síga lætr þú brýnn fyr bráar;
móðir mín
lá fyrir mildings skipum;
ek drekkða Hlövarðs sonum í hafi."
Hrimgerth spake:
"Dull art thou, Atli,
thou dreamest, methinks,
The lids lie over thine eyes;
By the leader's ships
my mother lay,
Hlothvarth's sons on the sea I slew."
"Gneggja myndir þú, Atli,
ef þú geldr né værir,
brettir sinn Hrímgerðr hala;
aftarla hjarta,
hygg ek, at þitt, Atli, sé,
þótt hafir reina rödd."
"Thou wouldst neigh, Atli,
but gelded thou art,
See, Hrimgerth hoists her tail;
In thy hinder end
is thy heart, methinks,
Though thy speech is a stallion's cry."
Atli kvað:
"Reini mun þér ek þykkja
ef þú reyna knátt,
ok stíga ek á land af legi,
öll muntu lemjask,
ef mér er alhugat,
ok sveigja þinn, Hrímgerðr, hala."
Atli spake:
"A stallion I seem
if thou seekest to try me,
And I leap to land from the sea;
I shall smite thee to bits,
if so I will,
And heavy sinks Hrimgerth's tail."
Hrímgerðr kvað:
"Atli, gakk þú á land,
ef afli treystisk,
ok hittumk í vík Varins;
rifja rétti
er þú munt, rekkr, fáa,
ef þú mér í krummur kemr."
Hrimgerth spake:
"Go ashore then, Atli,
if sure of thy might,
Let us come to Varin's cove;
Straight shall thy rounded
ribs be made
If thou comest within my claws."
Atli kvað:
"Munk-a ek ganga,
áðr gumnar vakna
ok halda of vísa vörð;
er-a mér örvænt,
nær óru kemr
skass upp undir skipi."
Atli spake:
"I will not go
till the warriors wake,
Again their chief to guard;
I should wonder not,
foul witch, if up
From beneath our keel thou shouldst come."
Hrímgerðr kvað:
"Vaki þú, Helgi,
ok bæt við Hrímgerði,
er þú lézt höggvinn Hata;
eina nótt
kná hon hjá jöfri sofa,
þá hefr hon bölva bætr."
Hrimgerth spake:
"Awake now, Helgi,
and Hrimgerth requite,
That Hati to death thou didst hew;
If a single night
she can sleep by the prince,
Then requited are all her ills."
Helgi kvað:
"Loðinn heitir, er þik skal eiga,
leið ertu mannkyni,
sá býr í Þolleyju þurs,
hundvíss jötunn,
hraunbúa verstr,
sá er þér makligr maðr."
Helgi spake:
"Tis Lothin shall have thee,
thou'rt loathsome to men,
His home in Tholley he has;
Of the wild-dwellers worst
is the giant wise,
He is meet as a mate for thee."
Hrímgerðr kvað:
"Hina vildu heldr, Helgi,
er réð hafnir skoða
fyrri nótt með firum;
marggullin mær
mér þótti afli bera;
hér sté hon land af legi
ok festi svá yðvarn flota;
hon ein því veldr,
er ek eigi mák
buðlungs mönnum bana."
Hrimgerth spake:
"More thou lovest her
who scanned the harbor,
Last night among the men;
(The gold-decked maid
bore magic, rnethinks,
When the land from the sea she sought,
And fast she kept your fleet;)
She alone is to blame
that I may not bring
Death to the monarch's men."
Helgi kvað:
"Heyr nú, Hrímgerðr,
ef ek bæti harma þér,
segðu görr grami:
Var sú ein vættr,
er barg öðlings skipum,
eða fóru þær fleiri saman?"
Helgi spake:
"Hrimgerth, mark,
if thy hurts I requite,
Tell now the truth to the king;
Was there one who the ships
of the warrior warded,
Or did many together go?"
Hrímgerðr kvað:
"Þrennar níundir meyja,
þó reið ein fyrir
hvít und hjalmi mær;
marir hristusk,
stóð af mönum þeira
dögg í djúpa dali,
hagl í háva viðu;
þaðan kemr með öldum ár,
allt var mér þat leitt, er ek leitk."
Hrimgerth spake:
"Thrice nine there were,
but one rode first,
A helmed maid white of hue;
Their horses quivered,
there came from their manes
Dew in the dales so deep,
(Hail on the woods so high,
Thence men their harvest have,
But ill was the sight I saw.)"
Helgi kvað:
"Austr líttu nú, Hrímgerðr,
ef þik lostna hefr
Helgi helstöfum;
á landi ok á vatni
borgit er lofðungs flota
ok siklings mönnum it sama."
Atli spake:
"Look eastward, Hrimgerth,
for Helgi has struck thee
Down with the runes of death;
Safe in harbor floats
the prince's fleet,
And safe are the monarch's men."
Atli kvað:
"Dagr er nú, Hrímgerðr,
en þik dvalða hefr
Atli til aldrlaga;
hafnarmark
þykkir hlægligt vera,
þars þú í steins líki stendr."
Helgi spake:
"It is day, Hrimgerth,
for Atli held thee
Till now thy life thou must lose;
As a harbor mark
men shall mock at thee,
Where in stone thou shalt ever stand."
Helgi konungr var allmikill hermaðr. Hann kom til Eylima konungs ok bað Sváfu dóttur hans. Þau Helgi ok Sváfa veittust várar ok unnust furðu mikit. Sváfa var heima með feðr sínum, en Helgi í hernaði. Var Sváfa valkyrja enn sem fyrr.
Heðinn var heima með föður sínum, Hjörvarði konungi, í Nóregi.
Heðinn fór einn saman heim ór skógi jólaaftan ok fann trollkonu. Sú reið vargi ok hafði orma at taumum ok bauð fylgð sína Heðni.
Nei, sagði hann.
Hon sagði: "Þess skaltu gjalda at bragarfulli."
Um kveldit óru heitstrengingar. Var fram leiddr sónargöltr. Lögðu menn þar á hendr sínar ok strengðu menn þá heit at bragarfulli. Heðinn strengði heit til Sváfu Eylimadóttur, unnustu Helga, bróður síns, ok iðraðisk svá mjök, at hann gekk á braut villistígu suðr á lönd ok fann Helga bróður sinn. Helgi kvað:
King Helgi was a mighty warrior. He came to King Eylimi and sought the hand of his daughter, Svava. Then Helgi and Svava exchanged vows, and greatly they loved each other. Svava was at home with her father, while Helgi was in the field; Svava was still a Valkyrie as before.
Hethin was at home with his father, King Hjorvarth, in Norway. Hethin was coming home alone from the forest one Yule-eve, and found a troll-woman; she rode on a wolf, and had snakes in place of a bridle. She asked Hethin for his company. "Nay," said he. She said, "Thou shalt pay for this at the king's toast." That evening the great vows were taken; the sacred boar was brought in, the men laid their hands thereon, and took their vows at the king's toast. Hethin vowed that he would have Svava, Eylimi's daughter, the beloved of his brother Helgi; then such great grief seized him that he went forth on wild paths southward over the land, and found Helgi, his brother. Helgi said:
"Kom þú heill, Heðinn,
hvat kanntu segja
nýra spjalla
ór Nóregi?
Hví er þér, stillir,
stökkt ór landi
ok ert einn kominn
oss at finna?"
"Welcome, Hethin!
what hast thou to tell
Of tidings new
that from Norway come?
Wherefore didst leave
thy land, O prince,
And fared alone
to find us here?"
Heðinn kvað:
"(Erumk-a, stillir,
stökkt ór landi),
mik hefr miklu glæpr
meiri sóttan:
Ek hefi körna
ina konungbornu
brúði þína
at bagarfulli."
Hethin spake:
"A deed more evil
I have done
Than, brother mine,
thou e'er canst mend;
For I have chosen
the child of the king,
Thy bride, for mine
at the monarch's toast."
Helgi kvað:
"Sakask eigi þú,
sönn munu verða
ölmál, Heðinn,
okkur beggja.
Mér hefir stillir
stefnt til eyrar,
þriggja nátta
skylak þar koma;
if er mér á því,
at ek aftr koma;
þá má at góðu
gerask slíkt, ef skal."
Helgi spake:
"Grieve not, Hethin,
for true shall hold
The words we both
by the beer have sworn;
To the isle a warrior
wills that I go,
(There shall I come
the third night hence;)
And doubtful must be
my coming back,
(So may all be well,
if fate so wills.)"
Heðinn kvað:
"Sagðir þú, Helgi,
at Heðinn væri
góðs verðr frá þér
ok gjafa stórra;
þér er sæmra
sverð at rjóða,
en frið gefa
fjándum þínum."
Hethin spake:
"Thou saidst once, Helgi,
that Hethin was
A friend full good,
and gifts didst give him;
More seemly it were
thy sword to redden,
Than friendship thus
to thy foe to-give."
Þat kvað Helgi, því at hann grunaði um feigð sína ok þat, at fylgjur hans höfðu vitjat Heðins, þá er hann sá konuna ríða varginum.
Álfr hét konungr, son Hróðmars, er Helga hafði völl haslaðan á Sigarsvelli á þriggja nátta fresti. Þá kvað Helgi:
Helgi spoke thus because he foresaw his death, for his following-spirits had met Hethin when he saw the woman riding on the wolf. Alf was the name of a king, the son of Hrothmar, who had marked out a battle-place with Helgi at Sigarsvoll after a stay of three nights. Then Helgi spake:
"Reið á vargi,
er rökvit var,
fljóð eitt, er Heðinn
fylgju beiddi;
hón vissi þat,
at veginn myndi
Sigrlinnar sonr
á Sigarsvöllum."
"On a wolf there rode,
when dusk it was,
A woman who fain
would have him follow;
Well she knew
that now would fall
Sigrlin's son
at Sigarsvoll."
Þar var orrosta mikil, ok fekk þar Helgi banasár.
There was a great battle, and there Helgi got a mortal wound.
"Sendi Helgi
Sigar at ríða
eftir Eylima
eingadóttur;
Bið bráðliga
búna verða,
ef hon vill finna
fylki kvikvan."
Sigar riding
did Helgi send
To seek out Eylimi's
only daughter:
"Bid her swiftly
ready to be,
If her lover
alive she would find."
Sigarr kvað:
"Mik hefr Helgi
hingat sendan
við þik, Sváfa,
sjalfa at mæla;
þik kvaðsk hilmir
hitta vilja,
áðr ítrborinn
öndu týndi."
"Hither now
has Helgi sent me,
With thee, Svava,
thyself to speak;
The hero said
he fain would see thee
Ere life the nobly
born should leave."
Sváfa kvað:
"Hvat varð Helga
Hjörvarðs syni?
Mér er harðliga
harma leitat,
ef hann sær of lék
eða sverð of beit,
þeim skal ek gumna
grand of vinna."
Svava spake:
"What chanced with Helgi,
Hjorvarth's son?
Hard to me
is harm now come;
If the sea smote him,
or sword bit him,
Ill shall I bring
to all his foes."
Sigarr kvað:
"Fell hér í morgun
at Frekasteini,
buðlungr, sá er var,
baztr und sólu;
Alfr mun sigri
öllum ráða,
þótt þetta sinn
þörfgi væri."
Sigar spake:
"In the morn he fell
at Frekastein,
The king who was noblest
beneath the sun;
Alf has the joy
of victory all,
Though need therefor
is never his."
Helgi kvað:
"Heil vertu, Sváfa,
hug skaltu deila,
sjá mun í heími
hinztr fundr vera;
téa buðlungi
blæða undir,
mér hefir hjörr komit
hjarta it næsta."
Helgi spake:
"Hail to thee, Svava!
thy sorrow rule,
Our meeting last
in life is this;
Hard the wounds
of the hero bleed,
And close to my heart
the sword has come."
"Bið ek þik, Sváfa,
— brúðr grát-at-tu —,
ef þú vill mínu
máli hlýða,
at þú Heðni
hvílu gervir
ok jöfur ungan
ástum leiðir."
Helgi spake:
"I bid thee, Svava,
weep not, bride,
If thou wilt hearken
to these my words,
The bed for Hethin
have thou ready,
And yield thy love
to the hero young."
Sváfa kvað:
"Mælt hafða ek þat
í munarheimi,
þá er mér Helgi
hringa valði,
myndig-a ek lostig
at liðinn fylki
jöfur ókunnan
armi verja."
Svava spake:
"A vow I had
in my dear-loved home,
When Helgi sought
with rings to have me,
That not of my will,
if the warrior died,
Would I fold in my arms
a man unfamed."
Heðinn kvað:
"Kysstu mik, Sváfa,
kem ek eigi áðr
Rogheims á vit
né Röðulsfjalla,
áðr ek hefnt hefik
Hjörvarðs sonar,
þess er buðlungr var
beztr und sólu."
Hethin spake:
"Kiss me, Svava,
I come not back,
Rogheim to see,
or Rothulsfjoll,
Till vengeance I have
for the son of Hjorvarth,
The king who was noblest
beneath the sun."
Helgi ok Sváfa, er sagt, at væri endrborin.
Of Helgi and Svava it is said that they were born again.
Translation by Henry Adams Bellows.