IX

DEILD

(Strife)

  1 On day appointed
dawn rose redly,
sun sprang fiery
southward hasting.
Bridal to Brynhild
blissful drank he,
Gunnar Gjúki’s son,
gold unsparing.
 2 All surpassing,
proud and ardent,
Brynhild sat there,
a bride and queen.
All men’s master,
all surpassing,
in came Sigurd
as sun rising.
 3 By Gudrún’s side,
Gjúki’s daughter,
she saw him seated –
a silence fell.
As stone graven
stared she palely,
as cold and still
as carven stone.
 4 From shrouded heart
the shadows parted;
oaths were remembered
all unfulfilled.
As stone carven,
stern, unbending,
he sat unsmiling
no sign making.
 5 Clamour rose again,
clear the singing.
Men were joyful –
mirth they deemed it.
In that hall beheld they
heroes mightiest,
and kings and queens
crowned in splendour.
*            
 6 Forth rode Sigurd,
the forest seeking,
to hunt the hart;
horns were sounded.
To the Rhine-river,
to running water,
queens went comely
with combs of gold.
 7 Their locks they loosened.
Long one waded
to deeper pools
darkly swirling:
Brynhild   ‘The water that hath washed
thy wan tresses
shall not flow unfitting
over fairer brow!’
Gudrún 8 ‘More queenly I,
more kingly wed! –
fame all surpasses
he that Fáfnir slew!’
Brynhild   ‘Worth all surpasses
who my wavering fire,
flaming lightning
fearless vanquished!’
  9 (Grim laughed Gudrún
Grímhild’s daughter:)
Gudrún   ‘True spake the tongue
of truth unwitting!
Thy wavering fire
wildly flaming
he rode unrecking
who that ring gave thee –
did Gunnar get it
on Gnitaheiði?
  10 Andvari’s ring,
old, enchanted,
is on Brynhild’s hand
bound in token.
Did Gunnar give me
the gleaming ring
from thy hand he drew,
now here on mine!’
  11 Coldhued as death
the queen was stricken,
strode swift from stream
as stone silent;
from Rhine-river,
from running water,
her bower sought she
brooding darkly.
  12 Dim fell evening,
dusk was starless;
her mind was as night
as she mourned alone;
alone, lightless,
made lamentation:
Brynhild   ‘Fell! fell the fates
that forged our days!
  13 Mine own must I have
or anguish suffer,
or suffer anguish
Sigurd losing.
Yet he is Gudrún’s
and Gunnar’s I:
foul wrought the fates
that framed my life!’
  14 Daylong lay she
drinking nor eating,
as in dead slumber
or dreadful thought.
Her maidens marvelled –
she minded not,
Gunnar sought her;
grim she heard him.
  15 Then spake Brynhild
from bitter pondering:
Brynhild   ‘Whence came the gold
here gleaming pale?
Who holds the ring
from my hand taken?’
Nought spake Gunnar,
no word answered.
Brynhild 16 ‘King men call thee!
A coward rather,
from fire flinching,
fearful, quaking!
From witch-woman’s
womb thou camest.
Woe to Grímhild,
woe’s contriver!’
Gunnar 17 ‘Vile words to use,
thou Valkyrie,
thou slayer of men,
and sword-hearted!’
Brynhild   ‘If sword I had,
I would slay thee now,
for thy secret treason,
for thy sundered oaths!
  18 Him only loved I
who all surpassed;
an oath uttered,
him only to wed,
him only to wed
who mine ardent fire
vanquished valorous;
I am vow-breaker.
  19 I am oath-breaker,
dishonoured, humbled;
I am love-bereaved
and life-curséd.
In thy halls shalt thou hear
never happy voices,
no queen in thy courts
shall comely walk.’
  20 Long there lay she
in lamentation;
afar heard folk
her fell mourning.
Gudrún she spurned,
Gunnar scorning,
and Högni mocking;
hate was kindled.
*            
  21 From the hunt rode Sigurd
home returning,
found halls unlit
and hearts darkened.
They brought him to seek her
for sorrow’s healing;
his mood was loath,
on the morrow went he.
    (He draws back the coverlet
from Brynhild and wakes her,
as before he had done.)
Sigurd 22 ‘Hail, O sunlight
and sun’s rising!
Sleep no longer
and sorrow cast thou!’
Brynhild   ‘I slept on mountain,
I sleep no more!
Accursed be thy words,
cruel forswearer!’
Sigurd 23 ‘What grief ails thee
amid good liking,
who to glorious Gunnar
wert gladly wed?’
Brynhild   ‘Gladly! gladly!
Grim thou mockest me.
Him only I loved,
who all surpassed.’
Sigurd 24 ‘Yet glory no less
hath Gjúki’s son,
my blood-brother,
best renownéd.
Well he loves thee,
lord unfearing –
look now and learn
light yet shineth!’
Brynhild 25 ‘Nay, Fáfnir Sigurd
fearless conquered;
my wavering fire
he waded twice;
twice he waded
tongues of lightning:
so great glory
never Gunnar earned.’
Sigurd 26 ‘That twice he waded,
who told thee so?
Sigurd hath not said it –
why saist thou this?’
Brynhild   ‘Gloom was round us.
Thy gleaming eyes,
thine eyes gleaming
anguish gave me.
  27 Veils of darkness
they vanquished me.
I am life-curséd
and love-bereaved.
Yet I curse thee too,
cruel forswearer,
who rendered to another
the ring taken.
  28 Gudrún I curse
for cruel reproach
of bed broken
and body yielded.
Thy glory alone
seems good to thee;
of all women the worst
thou weenest me.’
Sigurd 29 ‘Woe worth the words
by women spoken!
Woe worth the while
this work began!
Webs enwound me
woven dreadly,
my mind shadowing,
my mood darkening.
  30 Long I loved thee,
long desiring.
Thee only would I hold,
now all I know.
My mood mastering,
my mind wielding,
I sat unsmiling,
no sign making.
  31 This solace sought I,
that I saw thee still,
the one hall walking
though wife of other.’
Brynhild   ‘Too late! too late,
love thou speakest!
To allay this evil
there leech is none.’
Sigurd 32 ‘Is hope all fallen,
is healing vain?
Must fate fierce-hearted
thus find its end?’
Brynhild   ‘This hope only,
this heart’s comfort –
that Sigurd forsworn
a sword should bite!’
Sigurd 33 ‘Swords lightly sleep,
soon may I feel them!
Then would Brynhild die –
bitter would she deem it.’
Brynhild   ‘Well fall the words
from woe’s maker!
Little light in life
hath he left to me.’
Sigurd 34 ‘Yet Gunnar would I slay,
Gudrún forsake,
from death thee to keep,
our doom o’ercoming!’
Brynhild   ‘I am wife of one,
I wed no other.
No lord will I love,
and least Sigurd!’
*            
  35 Forth went Sigurd
filled with anguish,
his heart was swollen
in heaving breast.
Mail-rings clutched him,
marred his breathing,
to his flesh cutting
fiercely straining.
  36 There stood Gudrún
gleaming-lovely:
Gudrún   ‘Sleeps yet Brynhild,
sickness bearing?’
Sigurd   ‘Brynhild sleeps not,
brooding darkly.
She broodeth darkly
our bale and doom.’
  37 Gudrún wanly
grasped him weeping:
Gudrún   ‘What doth Brynhild brood,
what bale purpose?’
Sigurd   ‘Thou shouldst know it,
needless asking.
Woe worth the words
by women spoken!’
  38 (Then spake Gunnar
gloomy-hearted:)
Gunnar   ‘What hope of healing
harm’s amending?
Shall we gold offer,
gold and silver?’
Sigurd   ‘Gold and silver
let Gunnar offer!
Her lord alone
her leech must be.’
  39 Then Gunnar offered
gold and silver,
gold and silver
gleaming-hoarded.
Brynhild   ‘Gunnar, speak not
of gold and silver;
swords were me dearer
to slay my life.
  40 All men’s master,
all surpassing,
such only ever
shall earn my love.
Than thy liege lower
thou art less become,
a Völsung’s squire,
a vassal’s servant!
  41 From thy bed parting,
at thy board humbled
I will leave thee alone
to laughter of men,
if life thou allowest
to liege forsworn,
if thou slay not Sigurd,
thy sister’s lord.’
Gunnar 42 ‘Fell-hearted thou,
and foe of peace!
I oaths have sworn
for ever lasting,
bonds of brotherhood
in blood mingled;
though Brynhild bid it,
I may break them not.’
Brynhild 43 ‘Oaths too I swore
for ever lasting –
light thou heldest them!
I am love-betrayed.
Sigurd thou sent me,
thy sworn brother.
My bed he entered,
by my body laid him,
betrayed thy trust,
betraying me.
  44 To Gudrún he told it,
Gudrún knoweth.
In shame am I shrouded,
and shamed art thou!’
Gunnar came forth
grievous-hearted,
daylong he sat,
deeply brooding.
  45 From mood to mood
his mind wandered,
from shame to shame
shorn of friendship.
Högni called he
to hidden counsel,
his true brother,
whom he trusted well.
Gunnar 46 ‘Evil wrought Sigurd:
oaths he swore me,
oaths he swore me,
all belied them;
betrayed my trust,
whom I trusted most,
truth forswearing,
whom most true I deemed.’
Högni 47 ‘Brynhild beguiles thee
baleful-hearted,
woe devising
to woe stings thee;
loathing Gudrún,
her love grudging,
thy love loathing,
she lies to thee.’
Gunnar 48 ‘Brynhild, Brynhild,
I better hold her
than all women,
than all treasure.
I will life sooner leave
than lose her now,
than live lonely
for laughter of men.
  49 Let us slay Sigurd –
forsworn is he!
Let us lords be alone
of our lands again!
Let us slay Sigurd,
this sorrow ending,
and masters make us
of his mighty hoard!’
Högni 50 ‘Woe worth the words
by women spoken!
Lords unassailed
our league made us.
The might of Sigurd
we shall mourn later,
and the sister-sons
this sire had got us.’
  51 To Gotthorm turning,
Grímhild’s offspring,
greyhearted lord,
Gunnar hailed him:
Gunnar   ‘No oaths thou sworest,
no oaths heedest.
With his blood unblended
his blood now spill!’
  52 Gold he promised him
and great lordship;
his bastard blood
burned with hunger.
Snake’s flesh they took,
seethed it darkly,
wolf-meat gave him,
wine enchanted.
  53 Drunk with madness,
dire and wolvish,
he grinned and gnashed
his grinding teeth.
Of guile unworthy,
no guile dreaming,
yet doom foreboding,
drear went Sigurd.
  54 To the forest fared he,
falcon loosing,
with hounds hunting,
for harm’s solace.
Gotthorm rode there,
and Grani marked he,
assailing Sigurd,
with searing words.
Gotthorm 55 ‘O werewolf’s son
and war-captive,
what huntest here
where hart roameth –
thou wooer of women
and wife-marrer,
who wouldst lord all alone
our lands and queens!’
  56 Sword touched Sigurd
swart-red flushing;
white blanched the knuckles
on hilt clenching:
Sigurd   ‘Thou drunken dog,
doom hangs nigh thee!
Now slink to kennel!
Sleep may mend thee.’
  57 Gotthorm he left
to grind his teeth;
back rode Sigurd
foreboding ill.
Night fell starless,
none were waking;
asleep was Gudrún
by Sigurd dreaming.
  58 Dawn came wanly:
drunk with hatred
there Gotthorm stalked
as glowering wolf.
Sword leaped naked,
sleeping stabbed him,
pierced through to pillow,
pinned in anguish.
  59 Forth sprang the wolf
by fear blinded
of awful eyes
that opened wide.
Gram was brandished,
gleaming handled,
hissing hurled aloft
at hasting beast.
  60 At the door he tumbled
dreadly crying;
there hell took him
hewn asunder.
Forth crashed the head,
feet fell backward;
blood ran darkly
on bower threshold.
  61 In sweet embrace
to sleep she went,
to grief unending
Gudrún wakened,
to her bliss drowning
in blood flowing.
in flowing blood
of fairest lord.
  62 Breast white and bare
she beat so sore
that Sigurd raised him
from soaking pillow:
Sigurd   ‘My wife, weep not
for woe foredoomed!
Brothers remain to thee –
blame them lightly!
  63 Brynhild wrought this:
best she loved me,
worst she dealt me,
worst belied me.
I Gunnar never
grieved nor injured;
oaths I swore him,
all fulfilled them!’
  64 Dead fell Sigurd;
dreadly Gudrún
cried in anguish,
called him vainly.
Swords rang on wall,
and sleepers shivered;
geese screamed shrill
in green meadow.
  65 Then laughed Brynhild
in her bed listening
with whole heart once –
the house shuddered –
Gudrún hearing
in grief’s torment.
Gunnar answered
grimly speaking:
Gunnar 66 ‘Little thou laughest
for delight of soul,
O fell-hearted!
Fey I deem thee.
Thy colour blancheth,
cold thy cheeks are;
cold thy counsels
and accursed thy redes.’
Brynhild 67 ‘Cursed are the Niflungs,
cruel forswearers.
Oaths swore Sigurd,
all fulfilled them.
Ye all shall find
evil fortune,
while all men’s honour
he for ever holdeth.
  68 Bonds of brotherhood
in blood mingled
with murder kept ye;
he remembered them.
A sword lay naked
set between us,
Gram lay grimly
gleaming sheathless.
  69 Now life no longer
will I live with you;
of love ye robbed me
with lying counsels.
Shorn I leave you,
shame enduring,
of faith and friendship,
of fame on earth.’
  70 In arms he took her,
anguished begged her
her hand to stay,
hope to look for.
She thrust them from her
who thronged round her,
longing only
for her last journey.
  71 (Högni only
withheld her not:)
Högni   ‘Little would I hinder
her last journey,
so she bide in that land
never born again.
Crooked came she forth
from curséd womb
to man’s evil
and our mighty woe.’
*            
  72 Gold corslet she took,
gleaming hauberk,
helm set on head,
in hand a sword.
On the sword she cast her,
sank down wounded:
thus Brynhild ended
her bright splendour.
Brynhild 73 ‘A boon I beg thee,
this boon at last!
Pile high a pyre
on the plain builded;
shields hang round it
and shining cloths,
blood pour over it
for us brightly shed!
  74 A hawk at each hand,
a hound at feet,
there harnessed set ye
our horses slain.
At his side lay me,
sword between us,
naked gleaming
as on night of yore.
  75 Burn there Brynhild
in the blazing fire
who in flames awoke
to fell sorrow.
In flames send forth
that fairest lord
now as sun setting
who as sun did rise!’
  76 Flames were kindled,
fume was swirling,
a roaring fire
ringed with weeping.
Thus Sigurd passed,
seed of Völsung,
there Brynhild burned:
bliss was ended.
*            
  77 On the hell-way hastened
the helméd queen,
never born again
from bleak regions.
In Valhöllu
Völsungs feasted:
‘Son’s son welcome,
seed of Ódin!’
  78 Thus soon came Sigurd
the sword bearing
to glad Valhöll
greeting Ódin.
There feasts he long
at his father’s side,
for War waiting,
the World’s chosen.
  79 When Heimdall’s horn
is heard ringing
and the Blazing Bridge
bends neath horsemen,
Brynhild shall arm him
with belt and sword,
a beaker bear him
brimmed with glory.
  80 In the day of Doom
he shall deathless stand
who death tasted
and dies no more,
the serpent-slayer,
seed of Ódin:
not all shall end,
nor Earth perish.
  81 On his head the Helm,
in his hand lightning,
afire his spirit,
in his face splendour.
When war passeth
in world rebuilt,
bliss shall they drink
who the bitter tasted.
  82 Thus passed Sigurd,
seed of Völsung,
hero mightiest,
hope of Ódin.
But woe of Gudrún
through this world lasteth,
to the end of days
all shall hear her.
*