The Völsunga Saga on Sigrdrifa

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

• attestation: Sigrdrifa's first counsel is to be guiltless and guileless with kin, not hasty in wrath, for doing good to the dead benefits one

  "Now this is my first counsel, That thou with thy kin Be guiltless, guileless ever, Nor hasty of wrath, Despite of wrong done-- Unto the dead good that doeth."

• attestation: The second counsel is never to swear an oath but a trusty and true one, for grim tormenting grips troth-breakers who are cursed as wolves of vows

  "Lo the second counsel, That oath thou swearest never, But trusty oath and true: Grim tormenting Gripes troth-breakers; Cursed wretch is the wolf of vows."

• attestation: The third counsel is not to deal with fools at the Thing, for unwise men let fall worse words than they know

  "This is my third rede, That thou at the Thing Deal not with the fools of folk; For unwise man From mouth lets fall Worser word than well he wotteth."

• attestation: Sigrdrifa warns of the danger in both speaking and silence: keeping peace may cause men to deem one a dastard, yet home-witness is woeful unless proved true

  "Yet hard it is That holding of peace When men shall deem thee dastard, Or deem the lie said soothly; But woeful is home-witness, Unless right good thou gettest it."

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

• attribution: This continues the first part of the Lay of Sigrdrifa given in Chapter XX of the Saga and is the original verse of that chapter

  "This continues the first part of the lay given in Chapter XX of the Saga; and is, in fact, the original verse of Chapter"