Alone now living,
Lord of Niflungs,
the gold I hold
and guard for ever!
In hall nor heath
nor hidden dungeon
shall friend or foeman
find it gleaming.
130
Rhine shall rule it,
rings and goblets,
in weltering water
wanly shining.
In the deeps we cast it;
dark it rolleth,
as useless to man
as of yore it proved!
131
Cursed be Atli,
king of evil,
of glory naked,
gold-bereaved;
gold-bereaved,
gold-tormented,
murder-tainted,
murder-haunted!’
132
Fires of madness
flamed and started
from eyes of Atli;
anguish gnawed him:
‘Serpents seize him!
snakes shall sting him.
In the noisome pit
naked cast him!’
*
133
There gleaming-eyed
Gudrun waited;
the heart within her
hardened darkly.
Grim mood took her,
Grimhild’s daughter,
ruthless hatred,
wrath consuming.
134
There grimly waited
Gunnar naked;
snakes were creeping
silent round him.
Teeth were poisoned,
tongues were darting;
in lidless eyes
light was shining.
135
A harp she sent him;
his hands seized it,
strong he smote it;
strings were ringing.
Wondering heard men
words of triumph,
song up-soaring
from the serpents’ pit.
136
There coldly creeping
coiling serpents
as stones were staring
stilled, enchanted.
There slowly swayed they,
slumber whelmed them,
as Gunnar sang
of Gunnar’s pride.
137
As voice in Valholl
valiant ringing
the golden Gods
he glorious named;
of Odin sang he,
Odin’s chosen,
of Earth’s most mighty,
of ancient kings.
138
A huge adder
hideous gleaming
from stony hiding
was stealing slow.
Huns still heard him
his harp thrilling,
and doom of Hunland
dreadly chanting.
139
An ancient adder
evil-swollen,
to breast it bent
and bitter stung him.
Loud cried Gunnar
life forsaking;
