on Goti riding;
under haughty Hogni
Holkvir 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 Gjukings 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 Volsung lord.
24
High they honoured him,
in heart loved him,
Hun-gold gave him
in the hall sitting.
But his heart remembered
house of Volsung,
and Sigmund slain
on sands afar.
25
A host he gathered,
help of Gjukings;
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 Volsung!
Now of Volsung land
was a Volsung 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:
‘Grimnir hails thee,
glorious Volsung!
Far hence hath flown
the fate of Sigurd.
29
Where Sigmund drew
sword of Grimnir,
Gram shall shine not.
Go thou, Volsung!
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
