Poetic EddaNorse MythologyAncient Myth / ComparativeOld NorseSharePoetic Edda 45Bellows - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableBellowsLanguageEnglishEspañol‹Poetic Edda 1Poetic Edda 2Poetic Edda 3Poetic Edda 4Poetic Edda 5Poetic Edda 6Poetic Edda 7Poetic Edda 8Poetic Edda 9Poetic Edda 10Poetic Edda 11Poetic Edda 12Poetic Edda 13Poetic Edda 14Poetic Edda 15Poetic Edda 16Poetic Edda 17Poetic Edda 18Poetic Edda 19Poetic Edda 20Poetic Edda 21Poetic Edda 22Poetic Edda 23Poetic Edda 24Poetic Edda 25Poetic Edda 26Poetic Edda 27Poetic Edda 28Poetic Edda 29Poetic Edda 30Poetic Edda 31Poetic Edda 32Poetic Edda 33Poetic Edda 34Poetic Edda 35Poetic Edda 36Poetic Edda 37Poetic Edda 38Poetic Edda 39Poetic Edda 40Poetic Edda 41Poetic Edda 42Poetic Edda 43Poetic Edda 44Poetic Edda 45Poetic Edda 46Poetic Edda 47Poetic Edda 48Poetic Edda 49Poetic Edda 50Poetic Edda 51Poetic Edda 52Poetic Edda 53Poetic Edda 54Poetic Edda 55Poetic Edda 56Poetic Edda 57Poetic Edda 58Poetic Edda 59Poetic Edda 60Poetic Edda 61Poetic Edda 62Poetic Edda 63Poetic Edda 64Poetic Edda 65Poetic Edda 66Poetic Edda 67Poetic Edda 68Poetic Edda 69Poetic Edda 70Poetic Edda 71Poetic Edda 72Poetic Edda 73Poetic Edda 74Poetic Edda 75Poetic Edda 76Poetic Edda 77Poetic Edda 78Poetic Edda 79Poetic Edda 80Poetic Edda 81Poetic Edda 82Poetic Edda 83Poetic Edda 84Poetic Edda 85Poetic Edda 86›(Iv)Poetic Edda 45ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1Helgi then assembled a great sea-host and went to Frekastein. On the sea he met a perilous storm; lightning flashed overhead and the bolts struck the ship. They saw in the air that nine Valkyries were riding, and recognized Sigrun among them. Then the storm abated, and they came safe and sound to land. Granmar’s sons sat on a certain mountain as the ships sailed toward the land. Gothmund leaped on a horse and rode for news to a promontory near the harbor; the Volsungs were even then lowering their sails. Then Gothmund said, as is written before in the Helgi lay: 2“Who is the king | who captains the fleet, And to the land | the warriors leads?” 3Sinfjotli, Sigmund’s son, answered him, and that too is written. 4Gothmund rode home with his tidings of the host; then Granmar’s sons summoned an army. Many kings came there; there were Hogni, Sigrun’s father, and his sons Bragi and Dag. There was a great battle, and all Granmar’s sons were slain and all their allies; only Dag, Hogni’s son, was spared, and he swore loyalty to the Volsungs. Sigrun went among the dead and found Hothbrodd at the coming of death. She said: 517. “Never shall Sigrun | from Sevafjoll, Hothbrodd king, | be held in thine arms; Granmar’s sons | full cold have grown, And the giant-steeds gray | on corpses gorge.” 6Then she sought out Helgi, and was full of joy. He said: 718. “Maid, not fair | is all thy fortune, The Norns I blame | that this should be; This morn there fell | at Frekastein Bragi and Hogni | beneath my hand. 819. “At Hlebjorg fell | the sons of Hrollaug, Starkath the king | at Styrkleifar; Fighters more noble | saw I never, The body fought when | the head had fallen. 920. “On the ground full low | the slain are lying, Most are there | of the men of thy race; Nought hast thou won, | for thy fate it was Brave men to bring | to the battle-field.” 10Then Sigrun wept. | Helgi said: 1121. “Grieve not, Sigrun, | the battle is gained, The fighter can shun not his fate.” 12“To life would I call | them who slaughtered lie, If safe on thy breast I might be.” 13This Gothmund the son of Granmar spoke: 1422. “What hero great | is guiding the ships? A golden flag | on the stem he flies; I find not peace | in the van of your faring, And round the fighters | is battle-light red.” 1523. “Here may Hothbrodd | Helgi find, The hater of flight, | in the midst of the fleet; The home of all | thy race he has, And over the realm | of the fishes he rules.” 1624. “First shall swords | at Frekastein Prove our worth | in place of words; Time is it, Hothbrodd, | vengeance to have, If in battle worsted | once we were.” 1725. “Better, Gothmund, | to tend the goats, And climb the rocks | of the mountain cliffs; A hazel switch | to hold in thy hand More seemly were | than the hilt of a sword.” 1826. “Better, Sinfjotli, | thee ’twould beseem Battles to give, | and eagles to gladden, Than vain and empty | speech to utter, Though warriors oft | with words do strive. 1927. “Good I find not | the sons of Granmar, But for heroes ’tis seemly | the truth to speak; At Moinsheimar | proved the men That hearts for the wielding | of swords they had, (And ever brave | the warriors are.)” ‹Previous chapterPoetic Edda 44Next chapterPoetic Edda 46›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public domain in the United States via Project Gutenberg