1. Of old did Sigurth Gjuki seek, The Volsung young, in battles victor; Well he trusted the brothers twain, With mighty oaths among them sworn.

2. A maid they gave him, and jewels many, Guthrun the young, the daughter of Gjuki; They drank and spake full many a day, Sigurth the young and Gjuki's sons.

3. Thereafter went they Brynhild to woo, And so with them did Sigurth ride,

4. The Volsung young, in battle valiant,— Himself would have had her if all he had seen.

5. The southern hero his naked sword, Fair-flashing, let between them lie; (Nor would he come the maid to kiss;) The Hunnish king in his arms ne'er held The maiden he gave to Gjuki's sons.

6. Ill she had known not in all her life, And nought of the sorrows of men she knew; Blame she had not, nor dreamed she should bear it, But cruel the fates that among them came.

7. By herself at the end of day she sat, And in open words her heart she uttered: "I shall Sigurth have, the hero young, E'en though within my arms he die.

8. "The word I have spoken; soon shall I rue it, His wife is Guthrun, and Gunnar's am I; Ill Norns set for me long desire."

9. Oft did she go with grieving heart On the glacier's ice at even-tide, When Guthrun then to her bed was gone, And the bedclothes Sigurth about her laid.

10. " (Now Gjuki's child to her lover goes,)

11. And the Hunnish king with his wife is happy; Joyless I am and mateless ever, Till cries from my heavy heart burst forth."

12. In her wrath to battle she roused herself: "Gunnar, now thou needs must lose Lands of mine and me myself, No joy shall I have with the hero ever.

13. "Back shall I fare where first I dwelt, Among the kin that come of my race, To wait there, sleeping my life away, If Sigurth's death thou shalt not dare, (And best of heroes thou shalt not be.)

14. "The son shall fare with his father hence, And let not long the wolf-cub live; Lighter to pay is the vengeance-price After the deed if the son is dead."

15. Sad was Gunnar, and bowed with grief, Deep in thought the whole day through;

16. Yet from his heart it was ever hid What deed most fitting he should find, (Or what thing best for him should be, Or if he should seek the Volsung to slay, For with mighty longing Sigurth he loved.)

17. Much he pondered for many an hour; Never before was the wonder known That a queen should thus her kingdom leave; In counsel then did he Hogni call, (For him in truest trust he held.)

18. "More than all to me is Brynhild, Buthli's child, the best of women; My very life would I sooner lose Than yield the love of yonder maid.

19. "Wilt thou the hero for wealth betray?

20. 'Twere good to have the gold of the Rhine, And all the hoard in peace to hold, And waiting fortune thus to win."

21. Few the words of Hogni were: "Us it beseems not so to do, To cleave with swords the oaths we swore, The oaths we swore and all our vows.

22. "We know no mightier men on earth The while we four o'er the folk hold sway, And while the Hunnish hero lives, Nor higher kinship the world doth hold.

23. "If sons we five shall soon beget, Great, methinks, our race shall grow;

24. Well I see whence lead the ways; Too bitter far is Brynhild's hate."

25. Gunnar: "Gotthorm to wrath we needs must rouse, Our younger brother, in rashness blind; He entered not in the oaths we swore, The oaths we swore and all our vows."

60 more verses…