1.
Atli sent
long ago to Gunnarr,
a cunning warrior riding,
who was called Knefrošr;
he came to Gjuki's garth
and Gunnarr's hall,
to benches around the hearth
and to sweet beer.2.
The lord-mighty ones
drank there - but the betrayers were silent -
wine in the Welsh hall,
they expected Huns' wrath;
Knefrošr called then
with cold redes,
the southern warrior,
he sat on high bench:3.
"Atli sent me hence
to ride on errand,
the bit-chewing steed
through unknown Mirkwood,
to bid you, Gunnarr,
to come to bench,
with ring-wrapped helms,
to seek Atli's home!4.
"You may choose of shield there,
and shafts of ash,
of gold-rimmed helms
and the host of the Huns,
silver-gilt saddle-trimmings,
sarks slain-red,
of arrows, of spears,
of bit-chewing steeds!5.
"He shall leave you the field and give you
the woods of Gnita heath,
of roaring spears
and of gilded figureheads,
great treasures
and Danp's stead
and the famed wood
which is called Mirkwood!"6.
Gunnarr turned his head
and said to Hogni,
"What do you counsel for us, younger warrior,
of all we two thus hear?
I do not know gold
on Gnita Heath
that we do not have
the like of!7.
"We have seven halls
full of swords,
the hilts of which
are of gold,
I know my steed is best,
and blade keenest,
helm and shield whitest -
come out of Kjar's hall,
bows bench-seemly,
and byrnies of gold,
mine alone is better
than that of all Huns!"
Hogni said:
8.
"What do you think the bride meant
when she sent us a ring
wound with heath-dweller's wool?
I think, that she bade warning!
I found heath-dweller's hair
wrapped around the red ring;
our way is wolfish,
to ride on (this) errand!"9.
No kinsmen whetted Gunnarr,
nor another forced him,
counselors did not give rede,
nor those who were powerful -
Gunnarr spoke then,
as a king should,
famous, in mead-hall,
from great mood:10.
"Rise you now, Fjornir!
carry through the aisles
warriors' gold cups
to the heroes' hands!11.
"Wolves shall rule
the Niflungs' inheritance,
old, gray-coated,
if Gunnarr is lost,
black-felled bears
bite with fangs,
hound-hosts enjoy,
if Gunnarr comes not!"12.
The land-ruler led
the fearless hosts
of battle-keen men,
weeping, from garth of the Huns;
then Hogni's youngest
inheritance warder said:
"Fare now hale and wise,
wherever your soul leads!"13.
The brave ones let the feet
of bit-chewing steed travel
through the fells,
unknown Mirkwood;
all Hunmark trembled,
there where the hardy-mooded fared,
the whip-fearing (steeds)
drove through all-green fields.14.
They saw Atli's land
and deep window-sills
Bikki's warriors stood
on the high burg -
the southern folk's hall
was surrounded with many seats,
bound rims
of white shields,
points of spears;
yet Atli drank there
wine in the Welsh hall;
warders sat outside,
to warn him of Gunnarr,
if they saw an army coming
with roaring spears,
to waken Hildr's wrath.15.
Their sister found swiftly
that they came to hall,
both her brothers -
she had drunk little beer.
"You are betrayed now, Gunnarr!
what shall you, powerful one, win
against the Huns' harm-brandishing?
Go swiftly from hall!16.
"Brother, you would have (done) better
if you fared in byrnie,
as (in) ring-wrapped helm,
to see Atli's home,
you would have sat
sun-bright days in saddle,
let norns weep
for need-pale corpse,
Hunnish shield-maidens
know your edges,
but Atli himself you would have let
come into wyrm-garth -
now the wyrm-garth
is meant for you!"
Gunnarr said:
17.
"It is late now, sister,
to summon the Niflungs,
a long way to look
for our host,
for the fearless warriors,
over Rhine's ruddy fells!"18.
They took Gunnarr there
and set him in fetters,
the Burgundians' friend,
and fastened his hands.19.
Hogni hewed seven
with keen sword,
and flung the eighth
into the hot fire.
so should the warrior
be to foemen,
Hogni was
(at) Gunnarr's hands.20.
[...
...]
The warrior asked
if the Goths' folk-leader
would buy his life
with gold.
Gunnarr said:
21.
"Hogni's heart shall lie
in my hand,
bloodied, cut from
the courageous rider,
from the folk-leader's son
with sharp-biting sax."22.
They cut the heart
from Hjalli's breast,
bloodied and laid on a board,
and bore it before Gunnarr.23.
Then Gunnarr,
the warriors' drighten, said this:
"Here I have the heart
of Hjalli the cowardly,
unlike the heart
of Hogni the brave,
that trembles greatly
which lies on the board,
trembled half as much again
when it lay in breast!"24.
Hogni laughed then,
when they cut to heart
the living helm-hammerer
- he never thought to be overawed -
they laid it bloody on board
and bore it before Gunnarr.25.
Gunnarr said this,
famed helm-Niflung:
"Here I have the heart
of Hogni the brave,
unlike the heart of Hjalli
the cowardly,
that trembles little
which lies on board,
trembled not so greatly
when it lay in breast!26.
"So shall eyes
be far from you, Atli,
as you shall be
from the treasure!
He and I alone
all concealed
the Niflungs' treasure:
now Hogni lives not!27.
"I always had doubt
while we two lived,
now none is mine,
while I alone live!
the Rhine shall rule
battle-ore's treasures,
- swift river, stemming from Ęsir -
the Niflungs' inheritance
glitter rings of the slain
in flooding water
rather than that the gold
shine on hands of the Huns' bairns!"
Atli said:
28.
"Let wheel-wagon move forward!
the captive is in bonds now."29.
Atli the mighty
rode maned Glaumr,
ringed with battle-thorns
of their sib.
[...]
Gušrun of the victory-gods...
warded against tears,
she who hurried into hall.
Hon said:
30.
"So go it to you, Atli,
as you did to Gunnarr,
often swearing oaths
and speaking (them) early,
to Sun in the southern hall
and to Sig-Tyr's mountain,
to Holkvir of his rest-bed
and to Ullr's ring!"31.
And more afterwards
the bit-shaker
drew treasure-warder,
battle-god to his death.32.
The leader was laid
living in the garth,
where a horde of heroes
was creeping,
among the wyrms;
but Gunnarr alone,
hate-souled,
struck the harp with hands,
strings rang out;
so shall a brave ring-sprinkler
hold gold
against men!33.
Atli let
the earth-treading horse
(return) afterwards
to his lands from the murder.
A din was in the garth,
greatly thronged with steeds,
there was weapons' song,
they were come from the heath.34.
Gušrun went
out to Atli
with a gilded cup
to give the king:
"You may, thane-ruler,
in your hall,
gladly have Gušrun's
young game-meat."35.
The ale-beakers
rang wine-heavy for Atli,
when the Huns gathered
together in the hall,
long-bearded,
the keen warriors went.36.
The bright one went forward
[...]
to bear them drink,
the furious dis, to the boars,
and ruled ale-food,
unwilling, pale-nosed,
but spoke nith to Atli:37.
"Sword-dealer,
you have chewed
the corpse-bloodied hearts
of your sons with honey;
you may digest them,
brave one! a meal of slain men,
to eat as ale-food,
and sent to the high-seat!38.
"You shall not call afterwards
to your knee
Erp nor Eitil,
two ale-glad ones;
you shall not afterwards
see (them) among the seats
giving out gold,
smoothing spear-shafts,
trimming manes
nor driving on horses."39.
Uproar was on the benches,
there was a furious song,
howling under tapestries,
the Huns' bairns wept,
except for Gušrun,
who never mourned
her bear-hearted brothers
or sweet bairns,
young, unwise,
whom she got with Atli.40.
The goose-bright
sowed gold,
she enriched the house-carls
with red rings;
she let their fate grow,
but the bright gold go forth,
nor did the woman respect
the gods' house.41.
Unwary Atli -
he had be-drunken his thoughts,
he had no weapon,
he did not beware of Gušrun:
often that play was better,
when they should
lovingly embrace
before the athelings.42.
She gave the bed
blood to drink with sword-point,
with Hel-greedy hands,
and loosed the whelps,
the bride flung before the hall-door
- and house-carls wakened -
hot brands
- she made those geld for her brothers -43.
She gave all who were
within to fire
and (those) who were come from Mirkheimr, from their murder of Gunnarr;
the ancient timbers fell,
the god-houses smoked,
the Bušlings' dwellings,
and shield-maids burned
within, deprived of life,
they sank down in hot fire.44.
Of that is fully spoken!
Never thus afterwords
went a bride in byrnie
to avenge brothers!
she had borne bane-words
to three folk-kings
the bright one,
before she died!
Yet more fully is said in "The Greenlandish Words of Atli".
Note: This translation and others in this collection bearing this notice are the sole work of Stephan Grundy and are here with his permission. They are under his copyright. They are freely reproducible and quotable as long as this notice is attached if these are being reproduced or due credit is given to him for his translation if they are being quoted in another work.