Here is told of the awakening of Brynhild by Sigurd. Doomed by Ódin to go no longer to warfare but to wed, she has vowed to wed only the greatest of all warriors, the World’s chosen. Sigurd and Brynhild plight their troth, amid great joy, although of her wisdom she foresees that great perils beset Sigurd’s path. They depart together, but the pride of Brynhild causes her to bid Sigurd depart and come back to her only when he has won all men’s honour, and a kingdom.
| 1 | Ever wide and wild the wandering path; long lay the shadow of lone rider. Ever high and high stood Hindarfell, mountain mighty from mist rising. | |
| 2 | A fire at crown, fence of lightning, high to heavenward hissed and wavered. Greyfell Grani, glory seeking, leaped the lightning lightning-sinewed. | |
| 3 | A wall saw Sigurd of woven shields, a standard streaming striped with silver; a man there war-clad, mailclad, lying, with sword beside him, sleeping deadly. | |
| 4 | The helm he lifted: hair fell shining, a woman lay there wound in slumber; fast her corslet as on flesh growing – the gleaming links, Gram there clave them. | |
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| Brynhild awakening | 5 | ‘Hail! O Daylight and Day’s children! Hail, Night and Noon and Northern Star! Hail, Kingly Gods, Queens of Ásgard! Hail, Earth’s bosom all-abounding! |
| 6 | Hands of healing, hear and grant us, light in darkness, life and wisdom; to both give triumph, truth unfailing, to both in gladness glorious meeting!’ | |
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| Brynhild | 7 | ‘Brynhild greets thee, O brave and fair! What prince hath pierced my pale fetters?’ |
| Sigurd | ‘A man fatherless, yet man-begotten, here red from battle raven-haunted.’ | |
| Brynhild | 8 | ‘Ódin bound me, Ódin’s chosen; no more to battle, to mate doomed me. An oath I uttered for ever lasting, to wed but one, the World’s chosen.’ |
| Sigurd | 9 | ‘In the halls of Ódin it were hard to choose man there mightiest, most renownéd.’ |
| Brynhild | ‘Yet one they wait for, in wide Valhöll, the serpent-slayer, seed of Ódin.’ | |
| Sigurd | 10 | ‘Seed of Ódin is Sigmund’s child, and Sigurd’s sword is serpent’s bane.’ |
| Brynhild | ‘Hail, son of Sigmund, seed of Völsung! Warriors wait for thee in wide Valhöll.’ | |
| Sigurd | 11 | ‘Hail, bright and splendid! Hail, battle-maiden, bride of Völsung Brynhild chosen!’ Troth in triumph twain there plighted alone on mountain; light was round them. |
| Brynhild | 12 | ‘A beaker I bring thee, O battle-wielder, mighty-blended mead of glory, brimmed with bounty, blessed with healing, and rimmed with runes of running laughter.’ |
| Sigurd | 13 | ‘I drink, all daring: doom or glory; drink of splendour dear the bearer!’ |
| Brynhild | ‘Dear the drinker! Doom and glory both me bodeth, thou bright and fair!’ | |
| Sigurd | 14 | ‘I flee nor flinch, though fey standing, words of wisdom, woe, or gladness.’ |
| Brynhild | ‘Words of wisdom warning darkly hear thou and hold, hope of Ódin! | |
| 15 | Be slow to vengeance, seed of Völsung! In swearing soothfast, the sworn holding. Grim grow the boughs in guile rooted; fair flowers the tree in faith planted! | |
| 16 | Where the witch-hearted walks or houses linger not, lodge not, though lone the road! Though beauty blindeth bright as morning, let no daughter of kings thy dreams master! | |
| 17 | Hail, Sigmund’s son! Swift thy glory, yet a cloud meseems creepeth nigh thee. Long life, I fear, lies not before thee, but strife and storm stand there darkly.’ |
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| Sigurd | 18 | ‘Hail, Brynhild wise! Bright thy splendour though fate be strong to find its end. Faith ever will I hold firm, unyielding, though strife and storm stand about me.’ |
| 19 | Faith then they vowed fast, unyielding, there each to each in oaths binding. Bliss there was born when Brynhild woke; yet fate is strong to find its end. |
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| 20 | Ever wild and wide the wandering paths; on roads shining went riders two. High towered the helm; hair flowed in wind; mail glinted bright on mountain dark. |
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| Brynhild | 21 | ‘Here, Sigmund’s son, swift and fearless, is our way’s parting, to woe or joy. Here, lord, I leave thee, to my land turning; hence Grani bears thee glory seeking.’ |
| Sigurd | 22 | ‘Why, Brynhild wise, bride of Völsung, when at one are the riders do our ways sunder?’ |
| Brynhild | ‘I was queen of yore, and a king shall wed. Lands lie before thee – thy lordship win!’ |
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| 23 | To her land she turned lonely shining; green ran the roads that Grani strode. To her land she came, long the waiting; in Gjúki’s house glad the singing. |
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