The Völsunga Saga on Gudrun

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXVI. Sigurd comes to the Giukings and is wedded to Gudrun.

• attestation: Gudrun drank of the same potion, which sealed the enchantment

  "she bare it to Sigurd"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXI. Of the Lamentation of Gudrun over Sigurd dead, as it is

• attestation: Earls and their wives came to comfort Gudrun but she remained silent with a breaking heart

  "Then went earls to her. Full of all wisdom, Fain help to deal To her dreadful heart: Hushed was Gudrun Of wail, or greeting, But with a heavy woe Was her heart a-breaking."

• attribution: This chapter is identified as the Eddaic poem called the First Lay of Gudrun

  "told told in ancient Songs. (1)"

• attestation: When Gudrun finally saw Sigurd's wounds, she wept so that tears ran through her hair and down to her knees

  "So heavy was she For her dead husband, So dreadful-hearted For the King laid dead there."

• attestation: Gudrun declares Sigurd was great above all men as gold above iron, or the leek above grass, or the deer above other beasts

  "Gudrun of old days Drew near to dying As she sat in sorrow Over Sigurd"

• attestation: Gudrun sat in sorrow over dead Sigurd but could not weep or wail like other women

  "Gudrun of old days Drew near to dying As she sat in sorrow Over Sigurd; Yet she sighed not Nor smote hand on hand, Nor wailed she aught As other women."

• attestation: Gudrun curses Gunnar, saying his lands shall lie waste for breaking oaths, and the gold rings shall drag him to death

  "So may your lands Lie waste on all sides, As ye have broken Your bounden oaths! Ne'er shalt thou, Gunnar, The gold have joy of; The dear-bought rings Shall drag thee to death, Whereon thou swarest Oath unto Sigurd."

• attestation: Gudrun recalls the days when Sigurd saddled Grani and they went to woo Brynhild

  "Ah, in the days by-gone Great mirth in the homefield When my Sigurd Set saddle on Grani, And they went their ways For the wooing of Brynhild! An ill day, an ill woman, And most ill hap!"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXII. Of the Ending of Brynhild.

• attestation: Brynhild prophesies Gudrun shall be given to Atli against her will

  "Gudrun shall be given to Atli, yet not with her good will"

• relationship: Brynhild prophesies that the daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd shall be called Swanhild, the fairest of all women born

  "the daughter of Gudrun and Sigurd shall be called Swanhild, the fairest of all women born"

• attestation: The great waves shall bear Gudrun to the burg of King Jonakr, to whom she shall bear sons of great fame

  "the great waves bear her to the burg of King Jonakr, to whom she shall bear sons of great fame"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXIII. Gudrun wedded to Atli.

• attestation: Gudrun went into the wild woods hearing wolves howl and deemed death merrier than life

  "Gudrun gat her gone into the wild woods, and heard on all ways round about her the howling of wolves, and deemed death a merrier thing than life."

• attestation: Gudrun sat in her bower saying Sigurd was far above other men as gold above iron, or leek over grass, or hart over wild things

  "Better was life in those days when I had Sigurd; he who was far above other men as gold is above iron, or the leek over other grass of the field, or the hart over other wild things"

• attestation: Gudrun's brethren begrudged her having Sigurd and could not sleep until they had slain him

  "until my brethren begrudged me such a man, the first and best of all men; and so they might not sleep or they had slain him"

• attestation: Gudrun came to the hall of King Alf and sat in Denmark with Thora, daughter of Hakon, for seven seasons

  "she came to the hall of King Alf, and sat there in Denmark with Thora, the daughter of Hakon, for seven seasons, and abode with good welcome."

• attestation: Gudrun set forth needlework depicting many great deeds, swords and byrnies, the ship of King Sigmund, and battles of Sigar and Siggeir

  "she set forth her needlework before her, and did thereinto many deeds and great, and fair plays after the fashion of those days, swords and byrnies, and all the gear of kings, and the ship of King Sigmund sailing along the land"

• attestation: Gudrun refuses, saying she will never wed Atli the King and it is unseemly for them to get offspring together

  "Gudrun answers, "Never will I wed Atli the King: unseemly it is for us to get offspring betwixt us.""

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXIV. Atli bids the Giukings to him.

• attestation: Gudrun interpreted the sword dream as betokening fire, saying when folk dream of iron it befalls from pride

  "Gudrun areded the dream, and said that it betokened fire, whenas folk dreamed of iron. "It befalls of thy pride belike, in that thou deemest thyself the first of men.""

• attestation: Gudrun interprets the dreams as meaning Atli's sons are nigh to death and many heavy things shall befall

  "Gudrun says, "Nowise good are these dreams, yet shall they come to pass; surely thy sons are nigh to death, and many heavy things shall fall upon us.""

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXVII. The Battle in the Burg of King Atli.

• attestation: Gudrun heard the tidings and ran out to greet and kiss her brethren, saying she had set forth counsels to prevent their coming but none may deal with shapen fate

  "she sees that the game goeth sorely against her brethren, and she gathers to her great stoutness of heart, and does on her a mail-coat and takes to her a sword, and fights by her brethren, and goes as far forward as the bravest of man-folk"

• attestation: Gudrun put on a mail-coat and took a sword and fought by her brethren as far forward as the bravest of men

  "she gathers to her great stoutness of heart, and does on her a mail-coat and takes to her a sword, and fights by her brethren, and goes as far forward as the bravest of man-folk"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXVIII. Of the slaying of the Giukings.

• attestation: Gudrun sent Gunnar a harp and he played it with his toes so excellently that all worms fell asleep save one great adder

  "Gudrun sent him a harp, and in such wise did he set forth his craft, that wisely he smote the harp, smiting it with his toes, and so excellently well he played, that few deemed they had heard such playing, even when the hand had done it."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXIX. The End of Atli and his Kin and Folk.

• attestation: Gudrun made Atli's sons' heads into beakers, mixed their blood with wine, and roasted their hearts on a spit which Atli ate

  "thou hast lost thy sons, and their heads are become beakers on the board here, and thou thyself hast drunken the blood of them blended with wine; and their hearts I took and roasted them on a spit, and thou hast eaten thereof."

• attestation: Gudrun warns Atli the longest-lived matter shall be the memory of his cruel heart

  "of all I have, the longest-lived matter shall be the memory of thy cruel heart, nor shall it go well with thee whiles I live."

• attestation: Gudrun proposes a great funeral feast for her brethren and Atli's kindred, concealing her true intent

  "this is my counsel that we make a great feast, wherein I will hold the funeral of my brother and of thy kindred withal."

• attestation: Gudrun took Atli's sons at nightfall as they played and told them they would die; she then cut their throats

  "she took to her the sons of King Atli and her as they played about the floor; the younglings waxed heavy of cheer, and asked what she would with them."

• attestation: The children told Gudrun she may do as she wills with her own children but there is shame in the deed

  "Thou mayest do with thy children even as thou wilt, nor shall any hinder thee, but shame there is to thee in the doing of this deed."

• attestation: Gudrun says her heart is set on doing Atli the greatest shame possible

  "My heart is set on the doing to thee of as great shame as may be; never shall the measure of ill be full to such a king as thou art."

• attestation: Gudrun calls Sigurd the noblest of all kings and says Atli never bore out of battle aught but the worser lot

  "I who had aforetime the noblest of all kings, while for thee, thou never barest out of the battle aught but the worser lot."

• attestation: Gudrun took a sword and thrust it through King Atli's breast while he slept, with both she and the son of Hogni setting hands to the deed

  "Gudrun took a sword and thrust it through the breast of King Atli, and they both of them set their hands to the deed, both she and the son of Hogni."

• attestation: Atli woke with the wound and Gudrun said she and the son of Hogni had wrought the deed

  "Gudrun says, "Somewhat have I, Gudrun, wrought therein, and somewhat withal the son of Hogni.""

• attestation: Gudrun recalls her days with Sigurd when they slew kings and took their wealth but gave peace to those who would have it

  "better days had I whenas I abode with Sigurd, when we slew kings, and took their wealth to us, but gave peace to whomso would"

• attestation: After Atli died Gudrun cast fire into the hall; the folk awoke and smote each other down rather than abide the fire

  "they cast fire into the hall.

And when the folk and men of estate awoke amid that dread and trouble, naught would they abide the fire, but smote each the other down, and died in such wise"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XL. How Gudrun cast herself into the Sea, but was brought ashore

• relationship: Gudrun had a daughter by Sigurd called Swanhild, the fairest of all women, eager-eyed as her father so that few durst look under her brows

  "Gudrun had a daughter by Sigurd hight Swanhild; she was the fairest of all women, eager-eyed as her father, so that few durst look under the brows of her"

• attestation: Gudrun went to the sea with stones intending to end her life, but mighty billows bore her along to the burg of King Jonakr

  "Gudrun down to the sea, and caught up stones in her arms, and went out into the sea, for she had will to end her life. But mighty billows drave her forth along the sea, and by means of their upholding was she borne along till she came at the last to the burg of King Jonakr"

• relationship: The children of Gudrun and Jonakr were Hamdir, Sorli, and Erp

  "their children were Hamdir, and Sorli, and Erp"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XLI. Of the Wedding and Slaying of Swanhild.

• attestation: Gudrun told Jonakr that Jormunrek wanted Swanhild but expressed distrust: 'A wavering trust, the trust in luck that it change not'

  "Gudrun says, "A wavering trust, the trust in luck that it change not!""

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XLII. Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge Swanhild.

• attestation: Gudrun tells her sons Jormunrek has slain their sister Swanhild by treading her under horses' feet, and reproaches them for lacking the heart of Gunnar or Hogni

  "Jormunrek hath slain your sister, and trodden her under foot of horses in shameful wise? No heart ye have in you like to Gunnar or Hogni; verily they would have avenged their kinswoman!"

• attestation: Gudrun went laughing and gave her sons drink from mighty beakers and great byrnies and war-gear

  "Gudrun went about laughing now, and gave them to drink from mighty beakers, and thereafter she got for them great byrnies and good, and all other weed (1) of war."

• attestation: Gudrun recounts her three marriages: first to Sigurd who was bewrayed and slain (the greatest grief), then to King Atli whose children and hers she slew, then she gave herself to the sea and was given to Jonakr

  "To three men was I wedded, and first to Sigurd Fafnir's-bane, and he was bewrayed and slain, and of all griefs was that the greatest grief. Then was I given to King Atli, and so fell was my heart toward him that I slew in the fury of my grief his children and mine. Then gave I myself to the sea, but the billows thereof cast me out aland, and to this king then was I given"

• attestation: Gudrun names the casting of Gunnar into the Worm-close as the grimmest and ugliest of woes, and the cutting of Hogni's heart as the hardest

  "the grimmest and ugliest of woes was the casting of Gunnar into the Worm-close, and the hardest was the cutting of Hogni's heart from him."

• attestation: Gudrun wishes Sigurd would come to meet her from among the dead, saying no son or daughter remains to comfort her

  "better would it be if Sigurd came to meet me, and I went my ways with him, for here bideth now behind with me neither son nor daughter to comfort me."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XLIII. The Latter End of all the Kin of the Giukings.

• attestation: Gudrun had arrayed her sons' war-raiment so that no steel would bite thereon, but warned them not to play with stones or heavy matters

  "she had arrayed their war-raiment in such wise, that no steel would bite thereon; and she bade them play not with stones or other heavy matters, for that it would be to their scathe if they did so."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > Hogni Said:

• attestation: Gudrun stood without and asked where Sigurd was, the Lord of the Warriors

  "Without stood Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, And the first word she said Was even this word: "Where then is Sigurd, Lord of the Wa"

• attestation: All the Huns' children wept save Gudrun who never wept, mourning her brethren and her sweet sons gotten with Atli

  "Din arose from the benches, Dread song of men was there, Noise 'mid the fair hangings, As all Hun's children wept; All saving Gudrun, Who never gat greeting, For her brethren bear-hardy For her sweet sons and bright, The young ones, the simple Once gotten with Atli."

• attestation: The swan-bright woman sowed seeds of gold, giving red gold rings to the house-carls and letting bright gold flow forth unspared

  "The seed of gold Sowed the swan-bright woman, Rings of red gold She gave to the house-carls; Fate let she wax, Let the bright gold flow forth"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > The Second Or Ancient Lay Of Gudrun.

• attestation: Gudrun was reared by her mother as a bright maid in bower and loved her brethren until Giuki arrayed her with gold and gave her to Sigurd

  "A may of all mays My mother reared me Bright in bower; Well loved I my brethren, Until that Giuki With gold arrayed me, With gold arrayed me, And gave me to Sigurd."

• attestation: Gudrun says Sigurd was among the sons of Giuki as the green leek over low grass, a hart over hurrying deer, or red gold over grey silver

  "Such was my Sigurd, Among the sons of Giuki As is the green leek O'er the low grass waxen, Or a hart high-limbed Over hurrying deer, Or glede-red gold Over grey silver."

• attestation: Gudrun's brethren begrudged her Sigurd, the first of all men, and could not sleep nor sit a-dooming until they slew him

  "Till me they begrudged, Those my brethren, The fate to have him, Who was first of all men; Nor might they sleep, Nor sit a-dooming, Ere they let slay My well-love"

• attestation: Gudrun went weeping to talk with Gunnar but he said Grimhild was the cause of all evil and Gudrun could see her brother Hogni's heart cut from him

  "Giuki With gold arrayed me"

• attestation: Each king offered Gudrun gifts and speech dear to her heart, trying to win back her trust despite her sorrow, but she trusted none of them

  "Each would give me Gifts desired, Gifts desired, Speech dear to my heart"

• attestation: Gudrun must take Atli from among kingly men against her heart's desire, saying her brother's bane can scarce be a shield to her sons

  "Then him must I take From among kingly men, 'Gainst my heart's desire, From the hands of my kinsfolk; But no joy I look To have from that lord: Scarce may my brother's bane Be a shield to my sons."

• attestation: The journey to Atli took seven days riding over a cold land, seven days cleaving sea-waves, and seven more over dry land

  "Then seven days long O'er a cold land we rode, And for seven other Clove we the sea-waves. But with the third seven O'er dry land we wended."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > The Song Of Atli.

• attestation: Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenged her brethren: first she slew the sons of Atli, then Atli himself, then burned the hall and all the household

  "Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, avenger her brethren, as is told far and wide; first she slew the sons of Atli, and then Atli himself; and she burned the hall thereafter, and all the household with it"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > The Whetting Of Gudrun.

• attestation: Gudrun went to the sea after slaying Atli and cast herself in but could not drown; she was driven over the firths to King Jonakr's land

  "Gudrun went down unto the sea whenas she had slain Atli, and she cast herself therein, for she was fain to end her life: but nowise might she drown. She drave over the firths to the land of King Jonakr"

• attestation: Gudrun heard of Swanhild's death and urged her sons to avenge their sister

  "when Gudrun heard thereof, she spake to her sons"

• attestation: Gudrun complains her sons are unlike Gunnar and Hogni who would not have sat still but would have gone forth to avenge, like their father's kin not her kin

  "Words of strife heard I, Huger than any, Woeful words spoken, Sprung from all sorrow,"

• attestation: Gudrun says Swanhild was of all her children most dear to her heart, like a sunbeam fair to behold in her hall's midmost

  "But around Swanhild Bond-maidens sat, Her, that of all mine Most to my heart was; Such was my Swanhild, In my hall's midmost, As is the sunbeam Fair to beheld."

• attestation: Gudrun arrayed Swanhild in gold and goodly raiment before giving her to the folk of the Goths; the hardest woe was when Swanhild's bright hair was trodden in the mire by horses

  "In gold I arrayed her, And goodly raiment, Or ever I gave her To the folk of the Goths. That was the hardest Of my heavy woes, When the bright hair,-- O the bright hair of Swanhild!-- In the mire was trodden By the treading of horses."

• attestation: Gudrun says the sorest woe was when her love Sigurd was slain reft of glory in his bed

  "This was the sorest, When my love, my Sigurd, Reft of glory In his bed gat ending"

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > Part Of The Lay Of Sigrdrifa (1) > The Lay Of Hamdir

• attestation: The poem describes great deeds of bale at the sad dawning, the tide of Elves' sorrow, events from ancient time when Gudrun born of Giuki whetted her sons to avenge Swanhild

  "Then, whenas Gudrun, Born of Giuki, Whetter her sons To Swanhild's avenging."

• attestation: Gudrun tells her sons Swanhild was trodden by Jormunrek with white, black, and grey horses on the war-beaten way and roads of the Goths

  "Your sister's name Was naught but Swanhild, Whom Jormunrek With horses has trodden!-- White horses and black On the war-beaten way, Grey horses that go On the roads of the Goths."

• attestation: Gudrun says she is all alone as the aspen in the holt, as bare of kin as the fir-tree of boughs

  "All alone am I now As in holt is the aspen; As the fir-tree of boughs, So of kin am I bare"