The Völsunga Saga on Kostbera

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

• attestation: Kostbera, wife of Hogni, is described as the fairest of women; she came and looked on the runes

  "Kostbera, the wife of Hogni, the fairest of women, came to them, and looked on the runes."

The Story Of The Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) > CHAPTER XXXV. The Dreams of the Wives of the Giukings.

• attestation: Kostbera dreamed a river fell upon them and broke the hall timbers, then another river tore up the dais and broke the legs of both brethren

  "therein methought there fell in upon us here a river exceeding strong, and brake up the timbers of the hall."

• attestation: Kostbera read the runes and discovered other things cut beneath, finding the runes guileful; her wisdom let her read them aright

  "Kostbera to beholding the runes, and spelling over the letters, and sees that beneath were other things cut, and that the runes are guileful; yet because of her wisdom she had skill to read them aright."

• attestation: Kostbera warns Hogni the runes bear his bane beneath, and that either Gudrun lacked a letter or others dealt guilefully with them

  "that which lieth underneath beareth your bane with it,--yea, either she lacked a letter, or others have dealt guilefully with the runes."

• attestation: Kostbera dreamed Hogni's cloak was afire with flame above the hall, a bear broke the king's high-seat, and an erne drenched them all with blood

  "Methought a bear came in," she says, "and brake up the king's high-seat, and shook his paws in such a wise that we were all adrad thereat"

• attestation: Kostbera dreamed an erne that was the double of King Atli swept down the hall and drenched them all with blood

  "An erne methought came in," she says, "and swept adown the hall, and drenched me and all of us with blood, and ill shall that betoken, for methought it was the double of King Atli."