Sigrun

12 The prince did not let compensation be in question,
nor did the kinsmen get a head-price at all;
he said they should expect an excessive storm
of grey spears and Odin’s wrath.

13 The chieftains go to the sword-meeting
which they’d set up at Logafell;
the peace of Frodi was torn between the enemies;*
corpse-eager on the island ran Odin’s hounds.*

14 The prince sat down, when he’d killed
Alf and Eyiolf, beneath Arastein,
Hiorvard and Havard, the sons of Hunding;
he’d brought down all of spear-Mimir’s clan.*

15 Then a light shone from Logafell,
and from that light came lightning-bolts;
wearing helmets at Himinvangi [came the valkyries].
Their byrnies were drenched in blood;
and beams blazed from their spears.

16 Immediately he asked from the wolf-lair,
the prince asked if the southern ladies
wished to go home with the warriors
when night fell; the elm bows were shrilling.

17 But from her horse, Hogni’s daughter,
—the shield-din was over—said to the prince:
‘I think we ought to have other business
than drinking beer with the breaker of rings.*

18 ‘My father has promised his girl
to Granmar’s fierce son;
but, Helgi, I call Hodbrodd
a king as impressive as the kitten of a cat.*

19 ‘The prince will come in a few nights
unless you challenge him to battle
or seize the girl from the warrior.’

20 ‘Don’t be afraid of the slayer of Isung!
first there’ll be noise of battle, or else I’ll be dead.’

21 The all-powerful one sent messengers from there,
through air and sea, to assemble his army,
ample river-fire he offered*
the warriors and their sons.

22 ‘Tell them quickly to go to their ships
and to be ready to sail from Brand-island!’
There the prince waited until there came
huge numbers of men from Hedins-island.

23 And there from the beaches at Stafnsness
they pushed out the ships graven with gold;
Helgi asked Hiorleif this:
‘Have you inspected the impressive young men?’

24 The young king spoke to the others—
it would take time to count off Crane-bank
the long-necked ships beneath the sailors,
journeying outwards on the Orvasund:

25 ‘Twelve hundred trusty men;
though in Highmeadow there’s twice as many,
the king’s war-troop; we may expect battle din.’

26 So the leader ordered the prow-tents dismantled,
roused the crowd of warriors,
and the fighters see the day-break;
and the noble men hoisted up
the well-sewn sail in Varinsfjord.

27 There was the splash of oars and the clash of iron,
shield smashed against shield, the vikings rowed on;
hurtling beneath the heroes
surged the leader’s ship far from the land.

28 Then it could be heard: they’d met together,
the sister of Kolga and the longships,*
as mountains or surf might break asunder.

29 Helgi ordered the high sail to be set,
his crew did not cringe at the meeting of the waves,
when Ægir’s terrible daughter
wanted to capsize the stay-bridled wave-horse.

30 And Sigrun above, brave in battle,
protected them and their vessel;
the king’s sea-beast twisted powerfully
out of Ran’s hand near Gnipalund.*

31 So in Una-bay in the evening
the splendid ships were floating;
and the others in person from Svarinshaug*
with troubled minds came to look at the army.

32 Gudmund asked, divinely-descended,
‘Who is that lord who leads the troop,
who’s brought the dangerous men to shore?’

33 Sinfiotli said—he’d slung on the yard-arm
his red shield, the rim was all of gold;
he was a sea-lookout who knew how to answer
and how to debate with the princes:

34 ‘Say this evening, when you’re feeding pigs
and calling your bitches to their slops,*
that the Ylfings have come from the east,
eager for fighting to Gnipalund.

35 ‘Hodbrodd will find Helgi there,
the prince who never flees, amid his fleet,
a man who’s often sated eagles,
while you were kissing slave-women at the grindstone.’


- Poetic Edda, Helgakviða Hundingsbana I