1. Heithrek was the name of a king, whose daughter was called Borgny. Vilmund was the name of the man who was her lover. She could not give birth to a child until Oddrun, Atli's sister, had come to her; Oddrun had been beloved of Gunnar, son of Gjuki. About this story is the following poem.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. She let the horse go o'er the level ground, Till she reached the hall that loftily rose,

5. (And in she went from the end of the hall;) From the weary steed the saddle she took;

6. Hear now the speech that first she: "What news on earth, Or what has happened in Hunland now?"

7. A serving-maid: "Here Borgny lies in bitter pain, Thy friend, and, Oddrun, thy help would find."

8. Oddrun: 'Who worked this woe for the woman thus, Or why so sudden is Borgny sick?"

9. The serving-maid: "Vilmund is he, the heroes' friend, Who wrapped the woman in bedclothes warm, (For winters five, yet her father knew not)."

10. Then no more they spake, methinks; She went at the knees of the woman to sit;

11. With magic Oddrun and mightily Oddrun Chanted for Borgny potent charms.

12. At last were born a boy and girl, Son and daughter of Hogni's slayer; Then speech the woman so weak began,

13. Nor said she aught ere this she: "So may the holy ones thee help, Frigg and Freyja and favoring gods, As thou hast saved me from sorrow now."

14. Oddrun: "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)."

15. Borgny: "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."

16. Oddrun: "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."

17. Then the sorrowing woman sat her down To tell the grief of her troubles great.

18. "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.

19. "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.

20. "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.

21. "At her weaving Brynhild sat in her bower, Lands and folk alike she had;

22. The earth and heaven high resounded When Fafnir's slayer the city saw.

23. "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.

24. "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.

25. "Love to Gunnar then I gave, To the breaker of rings, as Brynhild might; To Atli rings so red they offered, And mighty gifts to my brother would give.

16 more verses…