"Never, then, belike
Shall clash behind him
Valhall's bright door
With rings bedight:
And if my fellowship
Followeth after,
In no wretched wise
Then shall we wend.
"For him shall follow
My five bondmaids,
My eight bondsmen,
No borel folk:
Yea, and my fosterer,
And my father's dower
That Budli of old days
Gave to his dear child.
"Much have I spoken,
More would I speak,
If the sword would give me
Space for speech;
But my words are waning,
My wounds are swelling --
Naught but truth have I told --
-- And now make I ending."
ENDNOTES:
(1) "Menia's Maid" -- periphrasis for gold.
THE HELL-RIDE OF BRYNHILD.
After the death of Brynhild were made two bales, one for Sigurd,
and that was first burned; but Brynhild was burned on the other,
and she was in a chariot hung about with goodly hangings.
And so folk say that Brynhild drave in her chariot down along the
way to Hell, and passed by an abode where dwelt a certain
giantess, and the giantess spake: --
THE GIANT-WOMAN
"Nay, with my goodwill
Never goest thou
Through this stone-pillared
Stead of mine!
More seemly for thee
To sit sewing the cloth,
Than to go look on
The love of another.
Pages:
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259