"Din was there to hear Of the hoofs gold-shod, When into the garth Rode the sons of Giuki. "There from Hogni The heart they cut, But into the worm-close Cast the other. There the king, the wise-hearted, Swept his harp-strings, For the might king Had ever mind That I to his helping Soon should come. "But now was I gone Yet once again Unto Geirmund, Good feast to make; Yet had I hearing, E'en out from Hlesey, How of sore trouble The harp-strings sang. "So I bade the bondmaids Be ready swiftly, For I listed to save The life of the king, And we let our ship Swim over the sound, Till Atli's dwelling We saw all clearly. Then came the wretch (1) Crawling out, E'en Atli's mother, All sorrow upon her! A grave gat her sting In the heart of Gunnar, So that no helping Was left for my hero. "O gold-clad woman, Full oft I wonder How I my life Still hold thereafter, For methought I loved That light in battle, The swift with the sword, As my very self. "Thou hast sat and hearkened As I have told thee Of many an ill-fate, Mine and theirs-- Each man liveth E'en as he may live-- Now hath gone forth The greeting of Oddrun." ENDNOTES: (1) Atli's mother took the form of the only adder that was not lulled to sleep by Gunnar's harp-playing, and who slew him. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga), by Anonymous