Gudrun of old days Drew near to dying, As she sat in sorrow Over Sigurd; Yet she sighed not Nor smote hand on hand, Nor wailed she aught As other women. Then went earls to her, Full of all wisdom, Fain help to deal To her dreadful heart: Hushed was Gudrun Of wail, or greeting, But with heavy woe Was her heart a-breaking. Bright and fair Sat the great earls' brides, Gold-arrayed Before Gudrun; Each told the tale Of her great trouble, The bitterest bale She erst abode. Then spake Giaflaug, Giuki's sister:-- "Lo, upon earth I live most loveless, Who of five mates Must see the ending, Of daughters twain And three sisters, Of brethren eight, And abide behind lonely." Naught gat Gudrun Of wail or greeting, So heavy was she For her dead husband; So dreadful-hearted For the King laid dead there. Then spake Herborg, Queen of Hunland:-- "Crueler tale Have I to tell of, Of my seven sons Down in the Southlands, And the eighth man, my mate, Felled in the death-mead. "Father and mother, And four brothers, On the wide sea The winds and death played with; The billows beat On the bulwark boards. "Alone must I sing o'er them, Alone must I array them, Alone must my hands deal with Their departing; And all this was In one season's wearing, And none was left For love or solace. "Then was I bound A prey of the battle, When that same season Wore to its ending; As a tiring-may Must I bind the shoon Of the duke's high dame, Every day at dawning. "From her jealous hate Gat I heavy mocking; Cruel lashes She laid upon me; Never met I Better master Or mistress worser In all the wide world." Naught gat Gudrun Of wail or greeting, So heavy was she For her dead husband; So dreadful-hearted For the King laid dead there. Then spake Gullrond, Giuki's daughter:-- "O foster-mother, Wise as thou mayst be, Naught canst thou better The young wife's bale." And she bade uncover The dead King's corpse. She swept the sheet Away from Sigurd, And turned his cheek Toward his wife's knees:-- "Look on thy loved one, Lay lips to his lips, E'en as thou wert clinging To thy King alive yet!" Once looked Gudrun-- One look only, And saw her lord's locks Lying all bloody, The great man's eyes Glazed and deadly, And his heart's bulwark Broken by sword-edge. Back then sank Gudrun, Back on the bolster; Loosed was her head-array, Red did her cheeks grow, And the rain-drops ran Down over her knees. Then wept Gudrun, Giuki's daughter, So that the tears flowed Through the pillow; As the geese withal That were in the home-field, The fair fowls the may owned, Fell a-screaming.