J. Tolkien - The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

Gautland’s glory

grimly endeth.

Glad the greeting,

grief is over;

avenged is Völsung

valiant-hearted!’

Signý

41

(Sigmund’s sister

Signý answered:)

‘Son Sinfjötli,

Sigmund father!

Signý comes not,

Siggeir calls her.

Where I lay unwilling

I now lay me glad;

I lived in loathing,

now lief I die.’

*

III

DAUÐI SINFJÖTLA

(The Death of Sinfjötli)

1

Ships they laded

with shining gear,

gems and jewels,

joys of Gautland.

Wild blew the winds,

waves were foaming;

they viewed afar

the Völsung shore.

2

Long ruled Sigmund,

sire and uncle;

Sinfjötli sat

at his side proudly.

There towered the tree,

tall and ancient,

birds in the branches

were blithe again.

3

Ever Grímnir’s gift

gleamed in warfare;

at Sigmund’s side

Sinfjötli strode.

Hard, handlinkéd,

helm and corslet

glasswhite glittered

with grey silver.

4

Seven kings they slew,

their cities plundered;

wide waxed their realm

the world over.

Of women fairest

in war taken

a wife took Sigmund;

woe she brought him.

5

Sinfjötli came

sailing proudly

ships goldladen

to the shore steering.

Sigmund

‘Hail! Ódin’s son,

eager-hearted!

War no longer!

Wine is pouring.’

6

In came the queen

evil pondering –

her sire was slain

by Sinfjötli – :

Queen

‘Hail! Völsung fell,

valiant-hearted!

Weary art thou.

Wine I bring thee.

7

Steep stands the horn,

Stepson thirsty!’

Sinfjötli

‘Dark seems the drink,

deadly blended!’

Sigmund seized it,

swiftly drained it;

no venom vanquished

Völsung’s eldest.

Queen

8

‘Beer I bring thee

brown and potent!’

Sinfjötli

‘Guile there gleameth

grimly blended!’

Sigmund seized it,

swiftly drank it;

that prince of men

poison harmed not.

Queen

9

‘Ale I offer thee,

eager Völsung!

Völsungs valiant

at venom blench not;

heroes ask not

help in drinking –

if drink thou darest,

drink Sinfjötli!’

10

Dead Sinfjötli

drinking stumbled.

Sigmund

‘Woe! thou witchwife

weary-hearted!

Of the seed of Völsung

in Signý’s child

the fairest flower

fades untimely!’

11

There sorrowladen

Sigmund raised him,

in arms caught him;

out he wandered.

Over wood and wild

to the waves foaming

witless strayed he

to the waves roaring.

Boatman

12

‘Whither bringest thou

thy burden heavy?

My boat is ready

to bear it hence.’

A man there steered,

mantled darkly,

hooded and hoary,

huge and awful.

13

Alone was Sigmund

by the land’s margin;

in Valhöllu

Völsung feasted:

Völsung

‘Son’s son welcome,

and son of daughter!

But one yet await we,

the World’s chosen.’

*

IV

FŒDDR SIGURÐR

(Sigurd Born)

1

Alone dwelt Sigmund

his land ruling;

cold was his bower,

queenless, childless.

In songs he heard

of sweetest maiden,

of Sigrlinn’s beauty,

Sváfnir’s daughter.

2

Old was Sigmund,

as an oak gnarléd;

his beard was grey

as bark of ash.

Young was Sigrlinn

and yellow-gleaming

her locks hung long

on lissom shoulder.

3

Seven sons of kings

sued the maiden:

Sigmund took her;

sails were hoisted.

The Völsung land

they viewed afar,

the windy cliffs,

the waves foaming.

Sigmund

4

‘Say me, Sigrlinn,

sweeter were it

young king to wed

and yellow-bearded,

or wife of a Völsung,

the World’s chosen

in my bed to bear,

bride of Ódin?’

*

Sigrlinn

5

‘What sails be these

in the seas shining? –

the shields are scarlet,

ships uncounted.’

Sigmund

‘Seven sons of kings

seeking welcome!

Grímnir’s gift shall

gladly meet them!’

6

High sang the horns,

helms were gleaming,

shafts were shaken,

shields them answered.

Vikings’ standards,

Völsung’s banner

on strand were streaming;

stern the onslaught.

7

Old was Sigmund

as the oak gnarléd;

his sword swung he

smoking redly.

Fate him fended

fearless striding

with dew of battle

dyed to shoulder.

8

A warrior strange,

one-eyed, awful,

strode and stayed him

standing silent,

huge and hoary

and hooded darkly.

The sword of Sigmund

sang before him.

9

His spear he raised:

sprang asunder

the sword of Grímnir,

singing splintered.

The king is fallen

cloven-breasted;

lords lie round him;

the land darkens.

10

Men were moaning,

the moon sinking.

Sigrlinn sought him,

sadly raised him:

Sigrlinn

‘Hope of healing

for thy hurts I bring,

my lord beloved,

last of Völsungs.’

Sigmund

11

‘From wanhope many

have been won to life,

yet healing I ask not.

Hope is needless.

Ódin calls me

at the end of days.

Here lies not lost

the last Völsung!

12

Thy womb shall wax

with the World’s chosen,

serpent-slayer,

seed of Ódin.

Till ages end

all shall name him

chief of chieftains,

changeless glory.

13

Of Grímnir’s gift

guard the fragments;

of the shards shall be shaped

a shining blade.

Too soon shall I see

Sigurd bear it

to glad Valhöll

greeting Ódin.’

14

Cold came morning

o’er the king lifeless

and woeful Sigrlinn

her watch keeping.

Ships came sailing

to the shore crowding,

rovers northern

to the red beaches

15

The bride of Sigmund

as a bondwoman

over sounding seas

sadly journeyed.

Wild blew the winds,

waves them lifted;

she viewed afar

the Völsung land.

16

Wind was wailing,

waves were crying,

Sigrlinn sorrowful,

when a son she bore.

Sigurd golden

as a sun shining,

forth came he fair

in a far country.

Woman

17

‘O woman woeful

in war taken,

who was thy husband

while his house lasted?

What father begot

such fair offspring? –

grey steel glitters

in his gleaming eyes.’

Sigrlinn

18

‘The sire of Sigurd

Sigmund Völsung;

Seed of Ódin

songs shall call him.’

Woman

‘Fair shall be fostered

that father’s child;

his mother be mated

to a mighty king.’

*

V

REGIN

The king of that land took Sigrlinn to wife. Sigurd was sent to be fostered by Regin, of whom it has been told above. Regin dwelt now in the forest and was deemed wise in many other matters than smithwork. Regin egged Sigurd to slay Fáfnir. With the sword Gram and the horse Grani, of which it is here spoken, he accomplished this, though Regin had concealed from him both the great power of Fáfnir and the nature of the hoard that the serpent guarded. Here also are given the dark words of Regin in which the undermeaning is that the real cause of the serpent’s death is Regin, who should therefore have the gold (though this he has promised, at least in large share, to Sigurd); but that Regin should slay the slayer of his brother. Sigurd deeming him only weighed with the thought of his guilt in brother-murder, dismisses his words with scorn. Nor does Sigurd heed the dragon’s words concerning the curse, thinking them merely the device of greed to protect the gold even though its guardian be slain. This indeed was the dragon’s chief purpose in revealing the curse at the hour of his death. Yet that curse began to work swiftly.

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