The Story of the Volsungs - LightNovelsOnl.com
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There the king, the wise-hearted, Swept his harp-strings, For the might king Had ever mind That I to his helping Soon should come.
"But now was I gone Yet once again Unto Geirmund, Good feast to make; Yet had I hearing, E'en out from Hlesey, How of sore trouble The harp-strings sang.
"So I bade the bondmaids Be ready swiftly, For I listed to save The life of the king, And we let our s.h.i.+p Swim over the sound, Till Atli's dwelling We saw all clearly.
Then came the wretch (1) Crawling out, E'en Atli's mother, All sorrow upon her!
A grave gat her sting In the heart of Gunnar, So that no helping Was left for my hero.
"O gold-clad woman, Full oft I wonder How I my life Still hold thereafter, For methought I loved That light in battle, The swift with the sword, As my very self.
"Thou hast sat and hearkened As I have told thee Of many an ill-fate, Mine and theirs-- Each man liveth E'en as he may live-- Now hath gone forth The greeting of Oddrun."
ENDNOTES: (1) Atli's mother took the form of the only adder that was not lulled to sleep by Gunnar's harp-playing, and who slew him.
