1. Sigurth and Regin went up to the Gnitaheith, and found there the track that Fafnir made when he crawled to water. Then Sigurth made a great trench across the path, and took his place therein. When Fafnir crawled from his gold, he blew out venom, and it ran down from above on Sigurth's head. But when Fafnir crawled over the trench, then Sigurth thrust his sword into his body

2. to the heart. Fafnir writhed and struck out with his head and tail. Sigurth leaped from the trench, and each looked at the other. Fafnir said:

3. "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."

4. Sigurth concealed his name because it was believed in olden times that the word of a dying man might have great power if he cursed his foe by his name. He said:

5. "The Noble Hart my name, and I go A motherless man abroad; Father I had not, as others have, And lonely ever I live."

6. Fafnir: "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.)"

7. Sigurth: "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."

8. Fafnir: "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."

9. Sigurth: "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."

10. Fafnir: "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."

11. Sigurth: "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."

12. Fafnir: "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."

13. Sigurth: "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."

14. Fafnir: "The fate of the Norns before the headland

15. Thou findest, and doom of a fool; In the water shalt drown if thou row 'gainst the wind, All danger is near to death."

16. Sigurth: "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?"

17. Fafnir: "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."

18. Sigurth: "Tell me then, Fafnir, for wise thou art famed, And much thou knowest now:

19. How call they the isle where all the gods And Surt shall sword-sweat mingle?"

20. Fafnir: "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.

21. "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."

22. Sigurth: "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."

23. Fafnir: "Venom I breathed when bright I lay By the hoard my father had;

24. (There was none so mighty as dared to meet me, And weapons nor wiles I feared.)"

25. Sigurth: "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."

36 more verses…