Naught gat Gudrun
Of wail or greeting,

So heavy was she

For her dead husband;

So dreadful-hearted

For the King laid dead there.

Then spake Gullrond,

Giuki's daughter:

"O foster-mother,

Wise as thou mayst be,
Naught canst thou better
The young wife's bale."
And she bade uncover
The dead King's corpse.

She swept the sheet
Away from Sigurd,

And turned his cheek

Toward his wife's knees:-
"Look on thy loved one,
Lay lips to his lips,
E'en as thou wert clinging
To thy King alive yet!"

Once looked Gudrun

One look only,

And saw her lord's locks

Lying all bloody,

The great man's eyes

Glazed and deadly,

And his heart's bulwark

Broken by sword-edge.

Back then sank Gudrun,

Back on the bolster;

Loosed was her head-array,

Red did her cheeks grow,

And the rain-drops ran

Down over her knees.

Then wept Gudrun,

Giuki's daughter.

So that the tears flowed

Through the pillow;

As the geese withal

That were in the home-field,

The fair fowls the may owned,

Fell a-screaming.

Then spake Gullrond,

Giuki's daughter:

<< Surely knew I

No love like your love
Among all men,

On the mold abiding;

Naught wouldst thou joy in

Without or within doors,

O my sister,

Save beside Sigurd."

Then spake Gudrun,

Giuki's daughter:

"Such was my Sigurd

Among the sons of Giuki,

As is the king leek

O'er the low grass waxing,
Or a bright stone

Strung on band,

Or a pearl of price

On a prince's brow.

"Once was I counted
By the king's warriors
Higher than any
Of Herjan's mays;
Now am I as little

As the leaf may be,
Amid wind-swept wood,
Now when dead he lieth.

"I miss from my seat,

I miss from my bed,

My darling of sweet speech.
Wrought the sons of Giuki,
Wrought the sons of Giuki,

This sore sorrow;

Yea, for their sister

Most sore sorrow.

"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.

"Ah, in the days bygone,

Great mirth in the home-field,

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!"

Then spake Brynhild,
Budli's daughter:-
"May the woman lack

Both love and children,
Who gained greeting

For thee, O Gudrun!

Who gave thee this morning

Many words!"

Then spake Gullrond,

Giuki's daughter:

"Hold peace of such words,

Thou hated of all folk!

The bane of brave men

Hast thou been ever;

All waves of ill

Wash over thy mind;

To seven great kings

Hast thou been a sore sorrow,

And the death of good-will

To wives and women."

Then spake Brynhild,

Budli's daughter:

"None but Atli

Brought bale upon us;

My very brother,

Born of Budli,