Upbraid me no more from thy rock bound dwelling For battles I fought in the days of old.-- Thou wilt not be deemed to be nobler of nature Than I, wheresoever our story is told! The Ogress: In an evil hour, O Buthli's daughter, In an evil hour wert thou brought to birth.-- The Sons of Gjuki thou gavest to slaughter, Their noble dwellings thou rased'st to earth. Brynhild: A true account, if thou carest to hearken, O thou lying soul, will I tell to thee;-- How empty of love and o'ershadowed by falsehood The life that the Gjukings had destined for me! Atli's daughter was I, yet the monarch bold-hearted Assigned me a home neath the shade of the oak. But twelve summers old, if thou carest to hearken, Was this maid when her vows to the hero she spoke. Hjalmgunnar the Old, of the Gothic nation, Great chief, on the pathway to Hell did I speed; And victory granted to Auth's young brother; Then Othin's dread fury was roused at my deed. Then a phalanx of bucklers did Othin set round me On Skatalund's heights, shields crimson and white,-- Bade only that prince break the slumber that bound me Who knew naught of terror, nor shrank from the fight. And flames high towering and fiercely raging Round my Southern hall did he set in a ring: None other was destined to pass through in safety Save the hero who treasure of Fafnir should bring. The generous hero with treasure a-gleaming, The Danish viking on Grani rode,-- Foremost champion in deeds of valour-- Where my foster-father had his abode. As brother with sister we slept together; Eight nights' space he lay at my side. There were we happy and slumbered idly, Nor loving caresses did ever betide. Yet Guthrun the daughter of Gjuki reviled me, That I in the arms of her lover had slept. O then was I 'ware of the thing I desired not-- The truth of my marriage from me had they kept. All too long against storms of adversity struggling Both women and men seek their fortunes to right; But I with my Sigurth shall end my life's battle At last. Now depart from me, daughter of Night! Then the ogress gave a horrible shriek and leapt into the cliff." Then the King's followers cried: "That's fine! Go on and tell us some more!" But the King said: "You need not tell us any more about things of that kind." Then he continued: "Were you ever with the sons of Lothbrok?"