of harm I bear
in hateful Hunland
who am hopeless now?’
24
‘Thy brothers blame not!
Brynhild wrought it,
thy wrong and sorrow –
it rues them sore.
And dreams are but dreams,
or else doom foretell;
yet doom must be dreed,
though dreams foreshow.
25
Hungold is bright,
Hunland is wide,
Atli mightiest
of earthly kings.
And gold is healing,
though grieve the heart;
a queen’s bed better
than one cold and bare!’
26
‘Why drivest me on
with daunting eyes
dire of purpose,
doom forestalling?
To Sigurd thou gavest me,
to sorrow it turned;
now leave me to rest,
leave thy daughter!’
27
‘No rest for the living,
no room for tears,
who with pride and purpose
oppose their fate!
No rest I grant thee!
My redes hearken,
or rue for ever
thou wert wrought on earth!’
28
Dark hung her eyes
daunting Gudrun,
deep and dreadful,
dire with purpose.
For no word she waited,
wisdom knew she;
forth went Grimhild
from Gudrun’s side.
*
29
Of Gudrun’s beauty
glad was Atli;
of gold he dreamed him
guarded darkly;
of the serpent’s hoard
that Sigurd left her,
of the wife of Sigurd
of women fairest.
30
Bridal drank he
blissful-hearted
to Gudrun pale
in gleaming robes.
Oaths he swore them,
to each her brothers,
and lasting truce,
league of kinship.
31
Dark and splendid,
dreadly builded,
and echoing vast
were Atli’s halls.
Kings sat neath him,
countless chieftains,
and Hunnish horsemen
harnessed grimly.
32
High sat Gudrun
Hunland’s mistress,
cold lay Gudrun
queen of Hunland.
Her lord loved her,
lovely was she;
laughter she knew not,
yet her limbs were white.
33
