Wide told of is this --
Ne'er sithence in the world,
Thus fared bride clad in byrny
For her brothers' avenging;
For behold, this fair woman
To three kings of the people,
Hath brought very death
Or ever she died!
THE WHETTING OF GUDRUN.
Gudrun went down unto the sea whenas she had slain Atli, and she
cast herself therein, for she was fain to end her life: but
nowise might she drown. She drave over the firths to the land of
King Jonakr, and he wedded her, and their sons were Sorli, and
Erp, and Hamdir, and there was Swanhild, Sigurd's daughter,
nourished: and she was given to Jormunrek the Mighty. Now Bikki
was a man of his, and gave such counsel to Randver, the king's
son, as that he should take her; and with that counsel were the
young folk well content.
Then Bikki told the king, and the king let hang Randver, but bade
Swanhild be trodden under horses' feet. But when Gudrun heard
thereof, she spake to her sons --
Words of strife heard I,
Huger than any,
Woeful words spoken,
Sprung from all sorrow,
When Gudrun fierce-hearted
With the grimmest of words
Whetter her sons
Unto the slaying.
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