The Poetic Edda 27

Helreith Brynhildar (Brynhild's Hell-Ride) After the death of Brynhild there were made two bale-fires, the one for Sigurth, and that burned first, and on the other was Brynhild burned, and she was on a wagon which was covered with a rich cloth. Thus it is told, that Brynhild went in the wagon on Hel-way, and passed by a house where dwelt a certain giantess. The giantess spake:

"Thou shalt not further forward fare, My dwelling ribbed with rocks across; More seemly it were at thy weaving to stay, Than another's husband here to follow.

"What wouldst thou have from Valland here, Fickle of heart, in this my house? Gold-goddess, now, if thou wouldst know, Heroes' blood from thy hands hast washed."

Brynhild spake:

"Chide me not, woman from rocky walls, Though to battle once I was wont to go; Better than thou I shall seem to be, When men us two shall truly know."

The giantess spake:

"Thou wast, Brynhild, Buthli's daughter, For the worst of evils born in the world; To death thou hast given Gjuki's children, And laid their lofty house full low."

Brynhild spake:

"Truth from the wagon here I tell thee, Witless one, if know thou wilt How the heirs of Gjuki gave me to be Joyless ever, a breaker of oaths.

"Hild the helmed in Hlymdalir They named me of old, all they who knew me. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"The monarch bold the swan-robes bore Of the sisters eight beneath an oak; Twelve winters I was, if know thou wilt, When oaths I yielded the king so young.

"Next I let the leader of Goths, Hjalmgunnar the old, go down to hell, And victory brought to Autha's brother; For this was Othin's anger mighty.

"He beset me with shields in Skatalund, Red and white, their rims o'erlapped; He bade that my sleep should broken be By him who fear had nowhere found.

"He let round my hall, that southward looked, The branches' foe high-leaping burn; Across it he bade the hero come Who brought me the gold that Fafnir guarded.

"On Grani rode the giver of gold, Where my foster-father ruled his folk; Best of all he seemed to be, The prince of the Danes, when the people met.

"Happy we slept, one bed we had, As he my brother born had been; Eight were the nights when neither there Loving hand on the other laid.

"Yet Guthrun reproached me, Gjuki's daughter, That I in Sigurth's arms had slept; Then did I hear what I would were hid, That they had betrayed me in taking a mate.

"Ever with grief and all too long Are men and women born in the world; But yet we shall live our lives together, Sigurth and I. Sink down, Giantess!"