flame behind her.
14
Shields of silver
had the ship of Sigmund;
wild the waves were,
wind them twisted.
Sailed there slowly
Sinfjotli’s bier
through stormy seas
steered by Odin.
15
There Regin wrought
by the red embers;
there Gram was hammered
amid gleaming sparks.
High loomed the head
of helmed dragon;
under black belly
there was blink of gold.
16
Long lay the shadow
of lone rider
golden-harnessed
Gram brandishing;
sun-bright Sigurd
seed of Volsung,
on Grani riding
into Gjuki’s courts.
*
17
Golden weregild
Gunnar brought her,
haughty Hogni
humbly bent him.
Gudrun they hailed,
Gunnar and Hogni;
head she turned not,
hate still burned her.
18
In came Grimhild
guileful-hearted:
‘Dearest daughter
droop no longer!
Burnt is Brynhild,
bale is ended;
life yet shineth,
thou art lovely still!’
19
Gudrun lifted
her grieving eyes,
dimmed with weeping,
dark with mourning.
Dark with wisdom,
deep with purpose
were Grimhild’s eyes
gazing through her.
20
‘Atli ariseth,
armies wieldeth,
king of Eastland’s
countless peoples.
His queen shall rule
courts of splendour,
over all women else
on earth upraised.’
21
‘Of gold were the days,
gold and silver,
silver and golden,
ere Sigurd came.
A maid among maids
in mirth walked I;
only dreams and shadows,
only dreams vexed me.
22
A hart I dreamed
high and golden:
now is sped the shaft
and spilled the blood.
A wolf thou gavest me
for woe’s comfort,
in my brethren’s blood
he bathed me red.
23
I love them little,
I believe them not,
but my brethren’s blood
is no boot for me.
How shall husband heal me
