So Helgi rode his ways: and the others gat them gone home to the house. But the next night Sigrun bade the bondwoman have heed of the mound. So at nightfall, thenas Sigrun came to the mound, she sang: SIGRUN: Here now would he come, If to come he were minded; Sigmund's offspring From the halls of Odin. O me the hope waneth Of Helgi's coming; For high on the ash-boughs Are the ernes abiding, And all folk drift Toward the Thing of the dreamland. BONDMAID: Be not foolish of heart, And fare all alone To the house of the dead, O Hero's daughter! For more strong and dreadful In the night season Are all dead warriors Than in the daylight. But a little while lived Sigrun, because of her sorrow and trouble. But in old time folk trowed that men should be born again, though their troth be now deemed but an old wife's dotting. And so, as folk say, Helgi and Sigrun were born again, and at that tide was he called Helgi the Scathe of Hadding, and she Kara the daughter of Halfdan; and she was a Valkyrie, even as is said in the Lay of Kara. ENDNOTES: (1) Only that part of the song is given which completes the episodes of Helgi Hunding's-bane; the earlier part of the song differs little from the Saga. (2) Hogni, the father of Dar and Sigrun, had been slain by Helgi in battle, and Helgi had given peace to, and taken oaths of Dag. (3) One of the rivers of the under-world. (4) Hall-crower, "Salgofnir": lit. Hall-gaper, the cock of Valhall. PART OF THE LAY OF SIGRDRIFA (1) Now this is my first counsel, That thou with thy kin Be guiltless, guileless ever, Nor hasty of wrath, Despite of wrong done-- Unto the dead good that doeth. Lo the second counsel, That oath thou swearest never, But trusty oath and true: Grim tormenting Gripes troth-breakers; Cursed wretch is the wolf of vows. This is my third rede, That thou at the Thing Deal not with the fools of folk; For unwise man From mouth lets fall Worser word than well he wotteth. Yet hard it is That holding of peace When men shall deem thee dastard, Or deem the lie said soothly; But woeful is home-witness, Unless right good thou gettest it. Ah, on another day Drive the life from out him, And pay the liar back for his lying. Now behold the fourth rede: If ill witch thee bideth, Woe-begatting by the way, Good going further Rather than guesting, Though thick night be on thee. Far-seeing eyes Need all sons of men Who wend in wrath to war; For baleful women Bide oft by the highway, Swords and hearts to soften.