Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenged her brothers, as is well known. She
first killed Atli's sons, and afterwards Atli himself, and burnt the
palace with all the household. On these events was this lay composed.
1. Atli sent riding a messenger to Gunnar, a crafty man, Knefrud was
his name. To Giuki's courts he came, and to Gunnar's hall, to the
seats of state,[99] and the glad potation:
2. There drank the courtiers wine in their Valhall--but the guileful
ones[100] silence kept--the Huns' wrath they[101] feared. Then said
Knefrud, with chilling voice:--the southern warrior on a high bench
sat--
3. "Atli has sent me hither on his errand riding on a bit-griping
steed, through the unknown Murkwood, to pray you, Gunnar! that to his
bench ye come, with helms of state, Atli's home to visit.
4. "Shields ye there can choose, and smooth-shaven spears, gold-red
helms, and of Huns a multitude, silver-gilt saddle-cloths, sarks
gory-red, the dart's obstruction, and bit-griping steeds.
5. "The plain he will also give you, the broad Gnitaheid, whistling
javelins, and gilded prows, vast treasures, and Danp's towns, with
that famed forest, which men the Murkwood call."
6. Gunnar his head then turned, and to Hogni said: "What counselest
thou, bold warrior? now suchlike we hear? Of no gold I knew on Gnita's
heath, to which we possess not other equal.
7. "Seven halls have we filled with swords, of each of which the
hilt is gold. My horse I know the best, and my sword the keenest; my
bow adorns my seat, my corslets are of gold, my helm and shield the
brightest, brought from the hall of Kiar: mine alone are better than
all the Hunnish ones.
8. "What thinkest thou the woman[102] means, by sending us a ring in
a wolf's clothing wrapt? I think that she caution enjoins. Wolf's hair
I found twined in the red-gold ring: wolfish is the way we on our
errand ride."
9. No sons persuaded Gunnar, nor other kinsman, interpreters nor
counsellors, nor those who potent were. Then spake Gunnar, as beseemed
a king, great in his mead-hall, from his large soul:
10. "Rise now up, Fiornir! let along the benches pass the golden
cups of heroes, from the attendants' hands.
11. "The wolf shall rule the Niflungs' heritage, O bearded sages! if
Gunnar perish; black-coated bears earth's fruit tear with their teeth,
to the dogs' delight, if Gunnar come not back."
12. Honoured men, weeping led the land's ruler from the Huns'
court. Then said Hogni's youthful heir: "Go now, prudent and
prosperous, whither your wishes lead."
13. The warriors made their bit-griping steeds over the mountains
fly, through the unknown Murkwood. The whole Hunnish forest trembled
where'er the warriors rode; over the shrubless, all-green plains they
sped.
14. Atli's land they saw, and the high watch-towers; Bikki's people
stood on that lofty fortress; the south people's hall was round with
benches set, with well-bound bucklers, and white shields, the
javelin's obstruction. There Atli drank wine in his Valhall: his
guards sat without, Gunnar and his men to watch, lest they there
should come with yelling dart, to excite their prince to conflict.
15. Their sister forthwith saw, when the hall they had entered, her
brothers both--beer had she little drunken--"Betrayed art thou now,
Gunnar! though strong, how wilt thou contend with the Huns' deadly
wiles? Go quickly from this hall!
16. "Better hadst thou, Gunnar! in corslet come, than with helm of
state, to see the home of Atli; thou in the saddle wouldst have sat
whole sun-bright days, and o'er the pallid dead let the Norns weep,
the Hunnish shield-maids misery suffer; but Atli himself thou shouldst
into the serpent-pen have cast; but now the serpent-pen is for you two
reserved."
17. "Sister! 'tis now too late the Niflungs to assemble, long 'tis
to seek the aid of men, of valiant heroes, over the rugged fells of
Rhine."
18. Then the Burgundians' friends[103] Gunnar seized, in fetters
laid, and him fast bound.
19. Hogni hewed down seven, with the keen sword, but the eighth he
thrust into the raging fire. So should a valiant man defend himself
from foes.
20. Hogni had Gunnar's hands[104] protected. The bold chief they
asked, if the Goths' lord would with gold his life redeem?
21. "Hogni's heart in my hand shall lie, cut bloody from the breast
of the valiant chief, the king's son, with a dull-edged knife." * * *
They the heart cut out from Hialli's breast; on a dish bleeding laid
it, and it to Gunnar bare.
23. Then said Gunnar, lord of men: "Here have I the heart of the
timid Hialli, unlike the heart of the bold Hogni; for much it trembles
as in the dish it lies: it trembled more by half, while in his breast
it lay."
24. Hogni laughed, when to his heart they cut the living
crest-crasher; no lament uttered he. All bleeding on a dish they laid
it, and it to Gunnar bare.
25. Calmly said Gunnar, the warrior Niflung: "Here have I the heart
of the bold Hogni, unlike the heart of the timid Hialli; for it little
trembles, as in the dish it lies: it trembled less, while in his
breast it lay.
26. "So far shalt thou, Atli! be from the eyes of men as thou wilt
from the treasures be. In my power alone is all the hidden Niflungs'
gold, now that Hogni lives not.
27. "Ever was I wavering, while we both lived; now am I so no
longer, as I alone survive. Rhine shall possess men's baleful metal,
the mighty stream, the As-known Niflungs' heritage. In the rolling
water the choice rings shall glitter, rather than on the hands of the
Huns' children shine.