But Gudrun was somewhat silent.
Then said Brynhild, "Ill to abash folk of their mirth; prithee do
not so; let us talk together for our disport of mighty kings and
their great deeds."
"Good talk," says Gudrun, "let us do even so; what kings deemest
thou to have been the first of all men?"
Brynhild says, "The sons of Haki, and Hagbard withal; they
brought to pass many a deed of fame in the warfare."
Gudrun answers, "Great men certes, and of noble fame! Yet Sigar
took their one sister, and burned the other, house and all; and
they may be called slow to revenge the deed; why didst thou not
name my brethren who are held to be the first of men as at this
time?"
Brynhild says, "Men of good hope are they surely though but
little proven hitherto; but one I know far before them, Sigurd,
the son of Sigmund the king; a youngling was he in the days when
he slew the sons of Hunding, and revenged his father, and Eylimi,
his mother's father."
Said Gudrun, "By what token tellest thou that?"
Brynhild answered, "His mother went amid the dead and found
Sigmund the king sore wounded, and would bind up his hurts; but
he said he grew over old for war; and bade her lay this comfort
to her heart, that she should bear the most famed of sons; and
wise was the wise man's word therein: for after the death of King
Sigmund, she went to King Alf, and there was Sigurd nourished in
great honour, and day by day he wrought some deed of fame, and is
the man most renowned of all the wide world.
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