There are a number of indications, in sentiment, style, conception, and invention, which argue this short lay—or, rather, “lament”—to belong among the youngest in the collection, perhaps from the twelfth century. It is not likely that the compiler of the Vǫlsunga saga knew it.
The theme is manifestly taken from “The Second Lay of Guthrún” from which, indeed, a number of expressions are borrowed bodily. But this in nowise detracts from the originality and depth of the conception. Unfortunately, the artistic effect of the lay is marred, for our modern taste, by a certain lack of unity in bringing in Brynhild’s fierce love and hate. The intensity of Guthrún’s grief still lives for us in Tennyson’s poignant lyric “Home They Brought Her Warrior Dead.”1
Guthrún sate over dead Sigurth’s body. She wept not, like other women, yet her heart was nigh bursting with sorrow. Both men and women came to speak cheer to her; but that was not easy. It is told that Guthrún had eaten of Fáfnir’s heart and hence understood the speech of birds.2 This lay, too,3 was indited about Guthrún.
1. Erst Gjúki’s daughter unto death was nigh,
as o’er Sigurth she sate sorrowfully;
she whimpered not, nor her hands she wrung,
nor wept, either, as do women else.
2. Went to the widow wise earls kindly,
the heavy heart of her to ease;
nor yet Guthrún her grief could weep,
in her bosom though her heart would burst.
3. Sate then with her the wives of earls,
with Gjúki’s daughter gold-dight women:
their greatest griefs they gan tell her,
the fellest which had befallen them.
4. Then quoth Gjaflaug,4 Gjúki’s sister:
“On earth am I most utterly wretched:
five highborn husbands have I buried,
three of my daughters three of my sisters,
and eight brothers; yet on I live.”
5. Nor yet Guthrún her grief could weep,
so sore her sorrow o’er Sigurth’s fall,
so cold her heart o’er the king’s body.
6. Then quoth Herborg, the Hunnish queen:
“Sadder sorrow suffered I still:
my seven sons in the Southland all
fell whilom in battle, my husband the eighth.
7. “Both father and mother and four brothers
I lost in the waves, on wind-tossed ship,
when the billows brake ‘gainst the ship’s bulwarks.
8. “Myself needs buried the bodies all,
needs laid them out and their limbs straightened.
This woe befell me in one half year—
to soothe my sorrow no soul did try.
9. “As captive was I kept in bondage,
that very half year this happened to me;
then trimmed I the tresses,5 and tied the shoes,
for the earl’s housewife every morning.
10. “With jealous scorn she scolded me,
urged me to work with angry stripes;
more friendly master found I never,6
but harsher housewife had I never.”
11. Nor yet Guthrún her grief could weep,
so sore her sorrow o’er Sigurth’s fall,
so cold her heart o’er the king’s body.
12. Then quoth Gullrond, Gjúki’s daughter:
“Though old and wise, but ill know’st thou,
foster mother, how the mourner to comfort,”
and bade them bare the king’s body.
13. She swept the sheet from Sigurth’s corse
and brought the bolster to the brooding one’s knees:
“To the lief one’s lips lay thou thy mouth,
as when didst hug when hale, the warrior!”
14. Then cast one glance Guthrún on him,
saw the dear one’s hair all dank with blood,
saw the folk-warder’s flashing eyes dimmed,
and the baron’s breast breached by the sword.
15. Then sank Guthrún swooning on bolster—
her hair loosened, her cheeks grew hot,
a rain of tears ran to her knees.
16. Then wept Guthrún, Gjúki’s daughter,
that through her tresses7 the tears did flow,
and in the garth the geese sang out,8
the far-famed fowl which the fair one owned.
17. Then quoth Gullrond, Gjúki’s daughter:
Knew I never beneath heaven
greater love than was given thee:
without nor within at ease thou wast
but at Sigurth’s side, thou sister mine!”
(Guthrún said:)
18. “Seemed my Sigurth ’mongst the sons of Gjúki
like the garlic, grown the grass above,9
like a bright stone set on band of gold,
a gleaming jewel, the great ones among.
19. “Was I honored higher by the king’s heroes
than any one of Óthin’s maidens;10
as little am I as the leaves hanging
on sallow twigs, now Sigurth is dead.
20. “At board I miss, and in bed also,
my bosom’s friend. ’Tis my brothers’ guilt—
’tis my brothers’ guilt that this grief I bear—
their own sister— and sore tears weep.
21. “May ye lose your land, and lieges also,
as ill ye kept the oaths ye sware.
No good, Gunnar, of the gold will come:
the dragon’s hoard thy death will be,
since to Sigurth oaths thou swarest.
22. “There was greater glee in the garth, by far,
the time my Sigurth did saddle Grani—
the time they wended to woo Brynhild,
that ill wight, in evil hour.”
23. Then quoth Brynhild, Buthli’s daughter:
“May that hag ne’er have husband nor children
who again taught thee thy tears to shed,
and this morn gave thee the might of speech!”
24. Then quoth Gullrond, Gjúki’s daughter:
“Hush thee, Brynhild, who art hated by all:
athelings’ ill fate thou hast ever been,
and all did call thee a curse to them—
a sorrow to seven kings,11
and hast brought woe to many a wife.”
25. Then quoth Brynhild, Buthli’s daughter:
“From Atli all this evil springs—
to Buthli born, my brother he—
’mongst Hunnish hosts in the hall as we
the worm-bed’s fire12 on the warrior saw.
But woe did bring their wending thither:
ever since see I that sight before me.”
26. Neath stone post stood she, nor restrained her wrath—13
burned in Brynhild’s, Buthli’s daughter’s,
her eyes a fire: she foamed with rage14
when the wounds she saw on Sigurth’s body.
Guthrún then fared to the woods and wastes until she came to Denmark. There she stayed seven half-years with Thóra, the daughter of Hákon.15 Brynhild would live no longer after Sigurth’s death. She had eight of her thralls and five of her bondmaids slain. Then she slew herself with her sword, as is told in “The Short Lay of Sigurth.”