at bank unbound
the boats left they.
63
In the hoar forest
horns they sounded
Hunland rousing;
hooves were beating.
Golden harness
gleamed and sparkled;
steeds came striding
stung to madness.
*
64
From hill upon high
halls they looked on,
walls and watchtowers
wondrous-builded.
They were forest-girdled,
fenced with spearmen;
horses neighed there,
helms were glinting.
65
There was clamour in the courts,
cold rang the steel;
shafts were shaken,
shields them answered.
Gates found they barred,
grim doors of iron:
Hogni smote them,
hewed them fiercely.
66
(Forth came Vingi
the venom-tongued:)
‘Ye need not to knock,
for known your coming!
The greeting is prepared –
the gallows waits you.
The hungry eagle,
the hoary wolf,
the ravens are ready
to rend your flesh!’
67
‘Heralds were holy –
but unhallowed liar,
thou shalt hang the first,
and hell take thee!’
From the oak-branches
with arms corded
they hung him high
in the Huns’ faces.
68
Huns loud clamoured,
hate was kindled;
forth rushed they fell,
fierce the onslaught.
In battle blended
Budlungs, Niflungs;
blades were brandished,
burst were helmets.
69
Back they beat them
broken-harnessed;
to the doors they drove them –
din was in the gates.
In leaped Hogni,
held the gateway,
hewed two-handed,
hurled them backward.
70
The few and fearless
as a fire entered,
as roaring flame,
wrath devouring.
Wolves sprang behind,
the ways were reddened,
the walls echoed,
wailing filled them.
71
Steep, stone-builded,
the stair arose
to dark doorways
dreadly timbered.
There Hogni halted,
hailed them loudly:
‘Forth, forth! O friends,
the feast begins!’
72
Out came Atli,
anger-clouded:
‘Welcome, my vassals!
Ye have well begun it.
Death the drink here,
