VII

GUÐRÚN

Gudrún 1 ‘O mother, hear me!
Mirth is darkened,
dreams have troubled me,
dreams of boding.’
Grímhild   ‘Dreams come most oft
in dwindling moon,
or weather changing.
Of woe think not!’
Gudrún 2 ‘No wind, nor wraith
of waking thought –
a hart we hunted
over hill and valley;
all would take him,
’twas I caught him:
his hide was golden,
his horns towering.
 3 A woman wildly
on the wind riding
with a shaft stung him,
shooting pierced him;
at my knees he fell
in night of woe,
my heart too heavy
might I hardly bear.
 4 A wolf they gave me
for woe’s comfort;
in my brethren’s blood
he bathed me red.
Dreams have vexed me,
direst boding,
not wind or weather
or waning moon.’
Grímhild 5 ‘Dreams oft token
the dark by light,
good by evil,
Gudrún daughter!
Lift up thine eyes
eager shining!
Green lie the lands
round Gjúki’s house.’
Gudrún 6 ‘The roads run green
to the Rhine-water!
Who rides here lone,
arrayed for war?
His helm is high,
his horse fleeting,
his shield is shining
with sheen of gold!’
 7 Thus Gudrún gazed,
Gjúki’s daughter,
from wall and window
in wonder looking.
Thus Sigurd rode,
seed of Völsung,
into Gjúki’s courts
gleaming-harnessed.
 8 There Gjúki dwelt
his gold dealing
in Niflung land,
the Niflung lord.
Gunnar and Högni
were Gjúki’s sons,
mighty princes;
men them hearkened.
 9 There Grímhild dwelt,
guileful in counsel,
grimhearted queen
grey with wisdom,
with lore of leechcraft,
lore of poison,
with chill enchantment
and with changing spells.
 10 As ravens dark
were those raven-friends;
fair their faces,
fierce their glances.
With Huns they waged
hate and warfare,
gold ever gathering
in great dungeons.
 11 Silent they sat
when Sigurd entered
Gunnar greeting,
Gjúki hailing.
Gjúki   ‘Who comes unbidden
in battle’s harness,
helm and hauberk,
to halls of mine?’
Sigurd 12 ‘The son of Sigmund,
Sigurd Völsung,
a king’s son cometh
to kingly house.
Fame of Niflungs
far is rumoured,
not yet hath faded
fame of Völsung.’
  13 There swift for Sigurd
seat was ordered;
the feast grew fair,
folk were mirthful.
There Gunnar grasped
his golden harp;
while songs he sang
silence fell there.
     Of these
things sang
     Gunnar		 14 By mighty Mirkwood
on the marches of the East
the great Goth-kings
in glory ruled.
By Danpar-banks
was dread warfare
with the hosts of Hunland,
horsemen countless.
  15 Horsemen countless
hastened westward;
the Borgund lords
met Budli’s host.
In Budli’s brother
their blades reddened
the glad Gjúkings,
gold despoiling.
     Of these
things sang
      Sigurd		 16 Then Sigurd seized
the sounding harp;
hushed they hearkened
in the hall listening.
The waste lay withered
wide and empty;
forth came Fáfnir,
fire around him.
 17 Dark hung the doors
on deep timbers;
gold piled on gold
there glittered wanly.
The hoard was plundered,
helm was lifted,
and Grani greyfell
grievous burdened.
 18 High Hindarfell,
hedged with lightning,
mountain mighty
from mists uprose.
Brynhild wakened,
bright her splendour –
song fell silent,
and Sigurd ended.
 19 By Gjúki’s chair
Grímhild hearkened,
of Gudrún thinking
and the golden hoard.
Gunnar and Högni
gladly bade him
in league and love
long to dwell there.
*         
  20 The Borgund lords
their battle furnished;
banners were broidered,
blades were sharpened.
White shone hauberks,
helms were burnished;
under horses’ hooves
Hunland trembled.
 21 Grim was Gunnar
on Goti riding;
under haughty Högni
Hölkvir strode;
but fleeter was Grani,
foal of Sleipnir;
flamed all before
the fire of Sigurd.
 22 Foes were vanquished,
fields were wasted,
grimly garnered
Gram the harvest.
Where Gjúkings rode
glory won they,
ever glory Sigurd
greater conquered.
 23 Wide waxed their realm
in world of old;
Dane-king they slew,
doughty princes.
Dread fell on folk;
doom they wielded;
victory rode ever
with the Völsung lord.
 24 High they honoured him,
in heart loved him,
Hun-gold gave him
in the hall sitting.
But his heart remembered
house of Völsung,
and Sigmund slain
on sands afar.
 25 A host he gathered,
help of Gjúkings;
to the sea he rode
and sails hoisted.
His ship was shining
with shields and mail;
it was dragon-headed,
dire and golden.
 26 As fire and tempest
to his father’s land
came Sigurd sailing;
the sand was reddened.
Clashed the cloven
casque and hauberk;
shields were splintered,
shorn was corslet.
 27 Men learned there lived yet
line of Völsung!
Now of Völsung land
was a Völsung lord.
But the house once high
was hollow, roofless;
the limbs were rotten
of their leafy tree.
 28 A man there walked
mantled darkly,
his beard was flowing,
and blind his eye:
Grímnir   ‘Grímnir hails thee,
glorious Völsung!
Far hence hath flown
the fate of Sigurd.
 29 Where Sigmund drew
sword of Grímnir,
Gram shall shine not.
Go thou, Völsung!
Now king thou art
of kings begotten,
a bride calls thee
over billowing seas.’
*         
 30 His fleet went forth
with flaming sails;
goldladen ships
came glad to shore.
Steeds went striding,
stonefire glinted,
horns were sounded;
home rode Sigurd.
 31 A feast they fashioned,
far proclaimed it,
their highroofed halls
hung with splendour;
boards and beakers,
benches, gilded;
mead poured and ale
from morn to eve.
 32 A king sat Sigurd:
carven silver,
raiment gleaming,
rings and goblets,
dear things dealt he,
doughty-handed,
his friends enriching,
fame upraising.
  33 (There spake Grímhild
to Gjúki’s ear:)
Grímhild   ‘How long shall last
league unbounden?
Here is worthiest lord
of world’s renown!
Were a daughter offered,
he would dwell for ever,
our strength in strife,
standing bulwark.’
Gjúki 34 ‘The gifts of kings
are gold and silver;
their daughters fair
are dearly wooed!’
Grímhild   ‘Gifts oft are given
to greedy hand;
wives oft are wooed
by worthless men!’
 35 Sigurd sat silent;
the singing heard not
but in heart Brynhild
bright with splendour:
‘A queen was I once,
and a king shall wed.’
Soon, thought he, soon
I will seek my own.
*         
 36 Grímhild went forth
to guarded bower;
deep horn she filled
that was darkly written.
She drink of power
dreadly blended;
it had strength of stone,
it was stained with blood.
Grímhild 37 ‘Hail, guest and king!
Good go with thee!
Drink now deeply
dear love’s token!
A father hast thou found,
and fond mother,
brothers sit nigh thee.
O bravest, hail!’
 38 Deep drank Sigurd,
drained it laughing,
then sat unsmiling,
the singing heard not.
    In came Gudrún
golden-lovely,
as moon uprising
marvellous shining.
 39 In came Gudrún
gleaming-robéd,
as flower unfolded
fair at morning.
Sigurd wondered,
silent gazing;
his mind was glamoured,
mood confounded.
*