V

REGIN

The king of that land took Sigrlinn to wife. Sigurd was sent to be fostered by Regin, of whom it has been told above. Regin dwelt now in the forest and was deemed wise in many other matters than smithwork. Regin egged Sigurd to slay Fáfnir. With the sword Gram and the horse Grani, of which it is here spoken, he accomplished this, though Regin had concealed from him both the great power of Fáfnir and the nature of the hoard that the serpent guarded. Here also are given the dark words of Regin in which the undermeaning is that the real cause of the serpent’s death is Regin, who should therefore have the gold (though this he has promised, at least in large share, to Sigurd); but that Regin should slay the slayer of his brother. Sigurd deeming him only weighed with the thought of his guilt in brother-murder, dismisses his words with scorn. Nor does Sigurd heed the dragon’s words concerning the curse, thinking them merely the device of greed to protect the gold even though its guardian be slain. This indeed was the dragon’s chief purpose in revealing the curse at the hour of his death. Yet that curse began to work swiftly.

 1 The forge was smoking
in the forest-darkness;
there wrought Regin
by the red embers.
There was Sigurd sent,
seed of Völsung,
lore deep to learn;
long his fostering.
  2 Runes of wisdom
then Regin taught him,
and weapons’ wielding,
works of mastery;
the language of lands,
lore of kingship,
wise words he spake
in the wood’s fastness.
Regin 3 ‘Full well couldst thou wield
wealth and kingship,
O son of Sigmund,
a sire’s treasure.’
Sigurd   ‘My father is fallen,
his folk scattered,
his wealth wasted,
in war taken!’
Regin 4 ‘A hoard have I heard
on a heath lying,
gold more glorious
than greatest king’s.
Wealth and worship
would wait on thee,
if thou durst to deal
with its dragon master.’
Sigurd 5 ‘Men sing of serpents
ceaseless guarding
gold and silver
greedy-hearted;
but fell Fáfnir
folk all name him
of dragons direst,
dreaming evil.’
Regin 6 ‘Dragons all are dire
to the dull-hearted;
yet venom feared not
Völsung’s children.’
Sigurd   ‘Eager thou urgest me,
though of age untried –
tell me now truly
why thou tauntest me!’
*                           
Regin 7 ‘The falls of Andvari
frothed and spouted
with fish teeming
in foaming pools.
There Otr sported,
mine own brother;
to snare salmon
sweet he thought it.
 8 With stone smote him,
stripped him naked,
a robber roving
ruthless-handed;
at Hreidmar’s house
hailed my father,
that fairest fell
for food offered.
 9 There wrought Regin
by the red embers
rough iron hewing
and runes marking;
there Fáfnir lay
by the fire sleeping,
fell-hearted son,
fiercely dreaming.
(Hreidmar) 10 “Redgolden rings,
ransom costly,
this fell must fill,
this fur cover.”
From the foaming force
as a fish netted
was Dwarf Andvari
dragged and plundered.
 11 All must Andvari,
all surrender,
light rings and heavy,
or life itself.
In Hreidmar’s house
heaped he laid them,
gold ring on gold,
a great weregild.
(Regin & Fáfnir) 12 “Shall not brethren share
in brother’s ransom
their grief to gladden? –
gold is healing.”
(Hreidmar)   “The wreathéd rings
I will rule alone,
as long as life is
they leave me never!”
 13 Then Fáfnir’s heart
fiercely stung him;
Hreidmar he hewed
in his house asleep.
Fáfnir’s heart
as a fire burneth:
part nor portion
he pays to Regin.
 14 In dragon’s likeness
darkling lies he;
deep his dungeons,
and dread he knows not.
A helm of horror
his head weareth
on Gnitaheiði
grimly creeping.’
Sigurd 15 ‘With kin unkindly
wert thou cursed Regin!
His fire and venom
affright me not!
Yet why thou eggest me,
I ask thee still –
for father’s vengeance,
or for Fáfnir’s gold?’
Regin 16 ‘A sire avenged
were sweet to Regin;
the gold thy guerdon,
the glory thine.
A sword for Sigurd
will the smith fashion,
the blade most bitter
ever borne to war.’
*                           
 17 The forge was smoking,
the fire smouldered.
Two swords there fashioned
twice he broke them:
hard the anvil
hewed he mightily –
sword was splintered,
smith was angered.
Sigurd 18 ‘Sigrlinn, say me,
was sooth told me
of gleaming shards
of Grímnir’s sword?
Sigmund’s son
now seeks them from thee –
now Gram shall Regin
guileless weld me!’
  19 The forge was flaring,
the fire blazing:
a blade they brought him
with blue edges;
they flickered with flame,
as it flashed singing –
the cloven anvil
clashed asunder.
  20 The Rhine river
ran by swiftly;
there tufts of wool
on the tide he cast.
Sharp it shore them
in the sheer water:
glad grew Sigurd,
Gram there brandished.
Sigurd 21 ‘Where lies the heath
and hoard golden?
Now rede me Regin
of roads thither!’
Regin   ‘Far lies Fáfnir
in the fells hiding –
a horse must thou have,
high and sturdy.’
 22 In Busiltarn ran
blue the waters,
green grew the grass
for grazing horse.
A man them minded
mantled darkly,
hoary-bearded,
huge and ancient.
 23 They drove the horses
into deep currents;
to the bank they backed
from the bitter water.
But grey Grani
gladly swam there:
Sigurd chose him,
swift and flawless.
Man 24 ‘In the stud of Sleipnir,
steed of Ódin,
was sired this horse,
swiftest, strongest.
Ride now! ride now!
rocks and mountains,
horse and hero,
hope of Ódin!’
*                           
 25 Gand rode Regin
and Grani Sigurd;
the waste lay withered,
wide and empty.
Fathoms thirty fell
the fearful cliff
whence the dragon bowed him
drinking thirsty.
 26 In deep hollow
on the dark hillside
long there lurked he;
the land trembled.
Forth came Fáfnir,
fire his breathing;
down the mountain rushed
mists of poison.
 27 The fire and fume
over fearless head
rushed by roaring;
rocks were groaning.
The black belly,
bent and coiling,
over hidden hollow
hung and glided.
 28 Gram was brandished;
grimly ringing
to the hoary stone
heart it sundered.
In Fáfnir’s throe
were threshed as flails
his writhing limbs
and reeking head.
 29 Black flowed the blood,
belching drenched him;
in the hollow hiding
hard grew Sigurd.
Swift now sprang he
sword withdrawing:
there each saw other
with eyes of hate.
Fáfnir 30 ‘O man of mankind!
What man begot thee?
Who forged the flame
for Fáfnir’s heart?’
Sigurd   ‘As the wolf I walk
wild and lonely,
no father owning,
a flame bearing.’
Fáfnir 31 ‘A wolf was thy sire –
full well I know it!
Who egged thee eager
to mine undoing?’
Sigurd   ‘My sire was Sigmund,
seed of Völsung;
my heart egged me,
my hand answered.’
Fáfnir 32 ‘Nay! Regin wrought this,
rogue and master!
O son of Sigmund!
sooth I tell thee:
my guarded gold
gleams with evil,
bale it bringeth
to both my foes.’
Sigurd 33 ‘Life each must leave
on his latest day,
yet gold gladly
will grasp living!’
Fáfnir   ‘Fools! saith Fáfnir –
with fate of woe
this gold is glamoured.
Grasp not! Flee thou!’
Sigurd 34 ‘A fool, saith Sigurd,
could not fend himself
with helm of horror –
hell now seize him!’
In the heather had hidden
as a hare cowering
the fear-daunted smith;
forth now crept he.
Regin 35 ‘Hail! O Völsung
victory-crownéd,
of mortal men
mightiest hero!’
Sigurd   ‘In the halls of Ódin
more hard to choose!
many brave are born
who blades stain not.’
Regin 36 ‘Yet glad is Sigurd,
of gold thinking,
as Gram on the grey
grass he wipeth!
‘Twas blood of my brother
that blade did spill,
though somewhat the slaying
I myself must share.’
Sigurd 37 ‘Far enow thou fleddest,
when Fáfnir came.
This sword slew him,
and Sigurd’s prowess.’
Regin   ‘This sword I smithied.
Yet would serpent live,
had not Regin’s counsel
wrought his ending!’
Sigurd 38 ‘Nay, blame not thyself,
backward helper!
Stout heart is better
than strongest sword.’
Regin   ‘Yet the sword I smithied,
the serpent’s bane!
The bold oft are beaten
who have blunt weapons.’
 39 Thus heavy spake Regin
Ridil unsheathing,
fell Fáfnir’s heart
from the flesh cleaving.
Dark blood drank he
from the dragon welling;
deep drowsing fell
on dwarvish smith.
Regin 40 ‘Sit now, Sigurd!
Sleep o’ercomes me.
Thou Fáfnir’s heart
at the fire roast me.
His dark thought’s dwelling
after drink potent
I fain would eat,
feast of wisdom.’
 41 Sharp spit shaped he;
at shining fire
the fat of Fáfnir there frothed and hissed.
To tongue he touched
testing finger –
beasts’ cry he knew,
and birds’ voices.
*                           
first bird 42 ‘A head shorter
should hoary liar
go hence to nether hell!
The heart of Fáfnir
I whole would eat
if I myself were Sigurd.’
second bird 43 ‘Who a foe lets free
is fool indeed,
when he was bane of brother!
I alone would be lord
of linkéd gold,
if my wielded sword had won it.’
first bird 44 ‘A head shorter
should hiding dwarf
deprived of gold perish!
There Regin rouses
in rustling heather;
Vengeance he vows for brother.’
*                           
 45 Round turned Sigurd,
and Regin saw he
in the heath crawling
with hate gleaming.
Black spilled the blood
as blade clove him,
the head hewing
of Hreidmar’s son.
 46 Dark red the drink
and dire the meat
whereon Sigurd feasted
seeking wisdom.
Dark hung the doors
and dread the timbers
in the earth under
of iron builded.
 47 Gold piled on gold
there glittered palely:
that gold was glamoured
with grim curses.
The Helm of Horror
on his head laid he:
swart fell the shadow
round Sigurd standing.
 48 Great and grievous
was Grani’s burden,
yet lightly leaped he
down the long mountain.
Ride now! ride now
road and woodland,
horse and hero,
hope of Ódin!
*                           
 49 Ever wild and wide
the wandering paths;
long lay the shadow
of lone rider.
Birds in the branches
blithe were singing:
their words he heard,
their wit he knew not.
Raven 50 ‘High stands a hall
on Hindarfell,
fire it fenceth
flaming-tonguéd;
steep stands the path,
stern the venture,
where mountains beckon
to mighty heart.’
Finch 51 ‘A maid have I seen
as morning fair,
golden-girdled,
garland-crownéd.
Green run the roads
to Gjúki’s land;
fate leads them on,
who fare that way.’
Raven 52 ‘Slumber bindeth
the sun-maiden
on mountain high,
mail about her.
Thorn of Ódin
is thrust in bosom –
to what shall she wake,
woe or laughter?’
Finch 53 ‘The Gjúkings proudly,
Gunnar and Högni,
there rule a realm
by Rhine-water.
Gudrún groweth
golden-lovely,
as flower unfolded
fair at morning.’
Raven 54 ‘Too peerless proud
her power wielding,
victory swaying
as Valkyrie,
she heard nor heeded
hests of Ódin,
and Ódin smote
whom Ódin loved.’