As he came back
from hunting one day, there sat Swanhild washing her linen,
and it came into the king's mind how that she was the cause
of all his woe, so he and his men rode over her and slew
her. -- Tr.
CHAPTER XLII.
Gudrun sends her Sons to avenge 5wanhild.
Now Gudrun heard of the slaying of Swanhild, and spake to her
sons, "Why sit ye here in peace amid many words, whereas
Jormunrek hath slain your sister, and trodden her under foot of
horses in shameful wise? No heart ye have in you like to Gunnar
or Hogni; verily they would have avenged their kinswoman!"
Hamdir answered, "Little didst thou praise Gunnar and Hogni,
whereas they slew Sigurd, and thou wert reddened in the blood of
him, and ill were thy brethren avenged by the slaying of thine
own sons: yet not so ill a deed were it for us to slay King
Jormunrek, and so hard thou pushest on to this that we may naught
abide thy hard words."
Gudrun went about laughing now, and gave them to drink from
mighty beakers, and thereafter she got for them great byrnies and
good, and all other weed (1) of war.
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