Gunnar answered: “We will make this event come about, and I see the means. Let us urge our brother Guttorm to act. He is young, knows little, and is not bound by any oath.” Hogni said: “That seems poor advice to me. And even if the deed is done, we will pay for betraying such a man.” Gunnar said Sigurd must die, “or else I will die.” He bid Brynhild rise and be cheerful. She stood up and said, however, that Gunnar would not enter into the same bed with her until this came about.
Now the two brothers talked together. Gunnar said it is a valid felony punishable by death for having taken Brynhild’s maidenhead, “and let us urge Guttorm on to this deed.” They called him to them and offered him gold and great power to perform the act. They took a snake and the flesh of a wolf and cooked them and gave this to him to eat, as the skald says:
26. Some took wood-fish,94
Some sliced a wolf’s carrion,
Some gave to Guttorm
The Wolf’s95 flesh
Mixed with ale.
They used these and many other kinds of witchcraft. And with this nourishment and Grimhild’s persuasions and everything else, Guttorm became so violent and fierce that he promised to do the deed. They promised him great honor in return. Sigurd did not expect such deceit. He could also not prevail against either his fate or his death. Sigurd also did not perceive that he was deserving of betrayal from them.
Guttorm went into Sigurd’s room the next morning, while he was resting in his bed. But when he looked at him, Guttorm did not dare attack and turned back to leave the room. And so it happened a second time. Sigurd’s eyes flashed so sharply that few dared meet their gaze. But the third time he went in, Sigurd was asleep. Guttorm drew his sword and struck at Sigurd so that the blade stuck in the bed beneath him. Sigurd woke up from the wound, as Guttorm was leaving by the door. Sigurd then took the sword Gram and cast it after Guttorm. It struck him in the back and cut him into two at the waist. His lower body fell one way and his head and arms fell back into the room.
Gudrun was asleep in Sigurd’s arms, but she awoke to unspeakable grief, drenched in his blood. She wailed so with tears and lamentations that Sigurd rose up on the pillow and spoke. “Do not weep,” he said. “Your brothers live on to grant your pleasure. But I have a son too young to keep a watch out for his enemies, and they have provided poorly for themselves. They will not again find such a brother-in-law to ride with them in the army, or such a nephew, if he is allowed to grow up. And now it has come to pass as has long been foretold. I refused to believe it, but no one can withstand his fate. Brynhild, who loved me more than she did any other man, caused this betrayal. I will swear this, that I never did a disservice to Gunnar. I respected our oaths and I was never overly friendly with his wife. If I had known earlier what was going to happen and had risen to my feet, bearing my weapons, many would have lost their lives before I had fallen. All the brothers would have been slain. It would have been more difficult for them to kill me than the fiercest wild bison or boar.”
The king now died. Gudrun let out a tormented moan. Brynhild heard it and laughed when she heard Gudrun sobbing. Then Gunnar said: “You do not laugh because you are happy in the depths of your heart. Or why has your color left you? You are a vile monster and most likely you are. fated to die. No one would be more deserving than you to see King Atli killed before your eyes and to be forced to watch while it happened. We must now sit over our brother-in-law, the killer of our brother.”
She replied: “No one will protest that there has been too little killing. But King Atli does not care about your threats or your anger. He will outlive you and be mightier.” Hogni said: “Now it has come about, as Brynhild foresaw, and we will never remedy this evil deed.” Gudrun said: “My relatives have killed my husband. Now you must ride at the head of the army, and when you come to battle, then you will find that Sigurd is no longer at your side. And you will then realize that Sigurd was your luck and your strength. If he had had sons such as himself, then you might have fortified yourself with his offspring and their kin.”
Now no one thought himself capable of understanding why Brynhild had requested with laughter the deed that she now lamented with tears. Then she said: “I dreamt, Gunnar, that I had a cold bed and you were riding into the hands of your enemies. Your whole family will suffer an ill fate, for you are breakers of oaths. When you plotted his death, you did not clearly remember when you and Sigurd had mixed your blood together. You have rewarded him poorly for everything that he did in good faith for you and for letting you be the foremost. And when he came to me, his oaths were put to the test, for he lay his sharp-edged sword, tempered in venom, between us. But soon you plotted to harm him and me when I was at home with my father and had everything that I wanted. I did not intend that any of you would become my husband when you three kings rode toward the fortress. Then Atli took me aside and asked if I would marry the man who rode Grani. That one did not look like you. And then I promised myself to the son of King Sigmund and to no other. But things will not go well for you, even though I die.”
Then Gunnar rose up and put his arms around her neck and begged her to live and to accept compensation. And all the others tried to dissuade her from dying. But she pushed away everyone who came to her, saying it was useless to try to keep her from what she intended to do. Then Gunnar appealed to Hogni, asking him for counsel. He begged Hogni to go and attempt to soften her temper, saying there was now a great need to allay her sorrow until time had passed. Hogni replied: “No man should hinder her dying, for she has never been any good to us or to any man since she came here.”
Brynhild asked for a large amount of gold to be brought and requested all who wanted to accept a gift of wealth to come forward. Then she took a sword and stabbed herself under the arm, sank back into the pillows, and said: “Let each one who wants to receive gold take it now.” They were all silent. Brynhild said: “Accept the gold and use it well.”
Brynhild then spoke to Gunnar: “Now I will quickly tell you what will happen in the future. Through the counsels of Grimhild the sorceress, you will soon be reconciled with Gudrun. The daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd will be called Svanhild, and she will be the fairest of all women born. Gudrun will marry Atli against her will. You will want to have Oddrun,96 but Atli will forbid it. You and Oddrun will then meet secretly and she will love you. Atli will betray you and put you in a snake pit, and then Atli and his sons will be killed; Gudrun will slay them. After that happens, huge waves will carry Gudrun to the fortress of King Jonakr, where she will give birth to noble sons. Svanhild will be sent out of the land and be married to King Jormunrek. The counsels of Bikki will sting her. With this all your race will be dead and gone and Gudrun’s sorrows will be multiplied.”
33 BRYNHILD’S REQUEST
Brynhild continued: “Now, Gunnar, I ask a final request of you: let one huge funeral pyre be raised on the level field for all of us: for me and Sigurd and for those who were killed with him. Let there be tents reddened with the blood of men. Burn the Hunnish king there at my side, and at his other side my men, two at his head, two at his feet, and two hawks. Thus it will be equally divided. Lay there between us a drawn sword, as before, when we entered one bed and vowed to become man and wife. The door will not close on his heels if I follow him, and our funerary procession97 will not be unworthy if, following him, are five bondwomen and eight attendants given me by my father. And those who were killed with Sigurd will also burn there. I would speak further if I were not wounded, but now the gash hisses98 and the wound is opening. But I have told the truth.”
Sigurd’s body was then prepared according to the ancient custom and a tall pyre was built. When it was fully kindled, the body of Sigurd, the bane of Fafnir, was laid on top of it, along with his three-year-old son, whom Brynhild had ordered killed, and the body of Guttorm. When the pyre was all ablaze, Brynhild went out upon it and told her chambermaids to take the gold that she wanted them to have. Then Brynhild died and her body burned there with Sigurd. Thus their liv
es ended.
34 THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GUDRUN
Everyone who now heard the news said that no man of Sigurd’s like remained in the world, and never again would a man be born equal to Sigurd in all things. His name would never be forgotten in the German tongue and in the northern lands, as long as the world endures.
It is told that one day, while sitting in her chamber, Gudrun said: “My life was better when Sigurd was mine. He surpassed all men as gold does iron, the leek other herbs, and the stag other animals, until my brothers begrudged me such a man, the foremost of all. They could not sleep until they had killed him. Grani made a great din when he saw his wounded master. Later I spoke with him as if he were a man, but his head dropped toward the earth and he knew that Sigurd had fallen.”
Then Gudrun disappeared into the forest.99 All about her she heard the cries of wolves, and she thought it would be more agreeable to die than to live. Gudrun journeyed until she came to the hall of King Half. She stayed there in Denmark with Thora, the daughter of Hakon, for seven half years, and she was treated with generous hospitality. Gudrun wove a tapestry on which she depicted many great deeds as well as fair games, which were common in those days. It also showed swords and mail coats and all the trappings of a king, as well as the ships of King Sigmund, sailing off the coast. Gudrun and Thora embroidered the battle of Sigar and Siggeir at Fjon in the south. Such was their entertainment, and Gudrun was now somewhat comforted in her sorrow.
Grimhild, finding out where Gudrun had settled, summoned her sons to speak with her. She asked them how they wanted to compensate Gudrun for her son and her husband, and said they were obligated to do so. Gunnar spoke, declaring that he would give her gold to recompense her for her grief. They summoned their friends, readied their horses, and prepared their helmets, shields, swords, coats of mail, and all kinds of armor. The expedition was outfitted most splendidly, and no champion of merit stayed at home. The horses were armored and every knight had either a gilded or a brightly polished helmet. Grimhild decided to join them on their journey, saying that their errand would be completed only if she did not stay at home. In all there were five hundred men, among them men of renown: Valdamar of Denmark and Eymod and Jarisleif. They entered King Half’s hall. There were Lango-bards, Franks, and Saxons. They traveled in full armor and wore red fur cloaks, as is told:
27. Short mail coats,
Molded helmets,
Swords girded,
Their hair cut short and brown.
They wanted to select fine gifts for their sister, and they spoke well to her. Yet, she trusted none of them. Then Grimhild brought Gudrun an evil potion which she was made to accept, and afterward she remembered none of her grievances. The drink was mixed with the strength of the earth and the sea and the blood of her son,100 while the inside of the drinking horn was carved with all manner of runes, reddened with blood, as is here told:
28. The horn was lined
With runes manifold,
Carved and cut with blood.
Conceive them I could not:
The long ling-fish101
Of the Haddings” land,102
Ears of corn uncut,103
Entrails of beasts.104
29. In that ale were
Evils aplenty:
Herbs of all trees
And acorn burned,
Hearth’s black dewfall,
Entrails offered,
Boar’s liver boiled,
So that blunted were claims.
After that, when their desires were in accord, there was great rejoicing. When she met Gudrun, Grimhild said: “Good fortune to you, daughter. I give you gold and all kinds of treasure from your father’s legacy, precious rings and bed hangings of the most gracious Hunnish maids. Thus you will be compensated for your husband. Then you will be given in marriage to King Atli the Powerful. You will rule over his wealth. But do not abandon your kinsmen for the sake of one man; instead, you must do as we ask.” Gudrun answered: “I will never marry King Atli. There is for us no honor in augmenting our kin through such a union.”
Grimhild replied: “You must not now plan revenge. If you have sons, behave as if Sigurd and Sigmund were alive.” Gudrun said: “Never will Sigurd be far from my thoughts, for he was best among men.” Grimhild insisted: “You are ordered to marry King Atli, or you shall not marry at all.” Gudrun answered her: “Do not offer me this king, for from my marriage with him only grief for our family will arise. He will treat your sons cruelly and afterward grim vengeance will fall upon him.” Grimhild, disturbed by Gudrun’s statements about her sons, said: “Do as we ask and you will receive great honor and our friendship, as well as the regions that go by the names of Vinbjorg and Valbjorg.” Grimhild’s words carried such weight that this had to come about. Gudrun said: “This must happen then, although it be against my will. And it will lead to little joy. Rather, it will bring grief.”
They all then mounted their horses and their women were put in wagons. They traveled for seven days by horse, another seven by ship, and the third seven again over land, until they came to a high palace. A large number of people came to greet Gudrun and a splendid feast was prepared, as had earlier been agreed between them. The banquet proceeded with honor and magnificence. At this feast Atli drank the marriage toast to Gudrun. But her thoughts never laughed with him, and their life together contained little affection.
35 GUDRUN CARVES RUNES
Now it is said that on a certain night King Atli awoke from his sleep. He spoke with Gudrun. “I dreamt,” he said, “that you thrust at me with a sword.” Gudrun interpreted the dream, saying that to dream of iron indicated fire and “your self-deception in thinking yourself the foremost of all.”
Atli then said: “I dreamt further. It seemed to me that two reeds were growing here and I wanted never to harm them. Then they were torn up by the roots and reddened with blood, brought to the table, and offered to me to eat. I then dreamt that two hawks flew from my hand, that they had no prey to catch, and thus went down to Hel. It seemed to me that their hearts were mixed with honey and that I ate of them. Afterward it seemed to me that handsome whelps lay before me and cried out loudly, and I ate their corpses unwillingly.” Gudrun said: “Your dreams do not bode well, yet they will be fulfilled. Your sons are fated to die and many oppressive events are in store for us.” “Furthermore I dreamt,” he said, “that I lay bedridden and that my death had been contrived.”
Now time passed and their life together was cold. King Atli pondered the whereabouts of the hoard of gold that Sigurd had owned, but of which only King Gunnar and his brother now knew. Atli was a great and powerful king; he was wise and had a large following. He took counsel with his men as to which course of action should be followed. He knew that Gunnar and his kin had more wealth than anyone else. He now resolved to send men to meet the brothers, invite them to a banquet, and honor them in many ways. A man called Vingi led King Atli’s messengers.
The queen, aware of the king’s private meeting with his counselors, suspected there would be treachery toward her brothers. Gudrun cut runes, and took a gold ring and tied a wolf’s hair onto it. She gave it to the king’s messengers who then departed as the king had ordered. Before they stepped ashore, Vingi saw the runes and changed them in such a way that Gudrun appeared to be urging the brothers to come and meet with Atli. Then they arrived at King Gunnar’s hall; they were received well and large fires were built for them. They drank the finest drink with good cheer. Then Vingi said: “King Atli sent me here to ask you to visit him in great honor and to receive great honor from him, as well as helmets and shields, swords and mail coats, gold and fine clothes, troops and horses, and a large fief. He declares it best that you succeed him.”
Gunnar turned aside and asked Hogni: “What shall we make of this offer? He is asking us to accept vast power, yet I know of no kings with as much gold as we have, because we have all the gold that lay on Gnitaheath. We have large chambers filled with gold and with the best of edged weapon
s and all kinds of armor. I know my horse to be the finest and my sword the sharpest, the gold the most precious.” Hogni answered: “I wonder at his offer, for it is not like him to behave in this way. It seems inadvisable to go to visit him. And when I looked at the treasures King Atli had sent us, I wondered at the wolf’s hair I saw tied around a gold ring. It may be that Gudrun thinks he has the thoughts of a wolf toward us, and that she does not want us to go.” Vingi then showed him the runes that he said Gudrun had sent them.
Now most people went to sleep, but some stayed up drinking with a few of the men. Hogni’s wife, Kostbera, the fairest of women, went and looked at the runes. Gunnar’s wife, named Glaumvor, was a woman of noble character. She and Kostbera served the drink, and the kings became very drunk. Vingi, observing their condition, said: “It cannot be concealed that King Atli is too old and too infirm to defend his kingdom, and his sons are too young and unprepared. Atli wants to give you authority over his kingdom while they are so young. He would be most contented if you made use of it.” It happened that Gunnar by this time was very drunk and was being offered much power. He could also not escape his destiny. He vowed to make the journey and told his brother Hogni. Hogni replied: “Your word must stand and I will follow you, but I am not eager to make this trip.”
When the men had drunk as much as they cared to, they went to bed. Kostbera began to look at the runes and to read the letters. She saw that something else had been cut over what lay underneath and that the runes had been falsified. Still she discerned through her wisdom what the runes said. After that she went to bed beside her husband. When they awoke she said to Hogni: “You intend to go away from home but that is inadvisable. Go instead another time. You cannot be very skilled at reading runes if you think your sister has asked you to come at this time. I read the runes and wondered how so wise a woman could have carved them so confusedly. Yet it seems that your death is indicated underneath. Either Gudrun missed a letter or someone else has falsified the runes. And now you shall hear my dream.”
The Saga of the Volsungs: The Norse Epic of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer (Penguin Classics) Page 11