Edda Sæmundar Hinns Froða

1. Maids flew from the south,

through the murky wood,

Alvit the young,[1]

fate to fulfil.

2. One of them,

of maidens fairest,

to his comely breast

Egil clasped.

Svanhvit was the second,

she a swan´s plumage bore;

but the third,

their sister,

the white neck clasped

of Völund.

3. There they stayed

seven winters through;

but all the eighth

were with longing seized;

and in the ninth

fate parted them.

The maidens yearned

for the murky wood,

the young Alvit,

fate to fulfil.

4. From the chase came

the ardent hunters,

Slagfid and Egil,

found their house deserted,

went out and in,

and looked around.

Egil went east

after Ölrún,

and Slagfid west

after Svanhvit;

5. But Völund alone

remained in Ulfdal.

He the red gold set

with the hard gem,

well fastened all the rings

on linden bast,

and so awaited

his bright consort,

if to him

she would return.

6. It was told to Nidud,

the Niarars´ lord,

that Völund alone

remained in Ulfdal.

In the night went men,

in studded corslets,

their shields glistened

in the waning moon.

7. From their saddles they alighted

at the house´s gable,

thence went in

through the house.

On the bast they saw

the rings all drawn,

seven hundred,

which the warrior owned.

8. And they took them off,

and they put them on,

all save one,

which they bore away.

Came then from the chase

the ardent hunter,

Völund, gliding[2]

on the long way.

9. To the fire he went,

bear´s flesh to roast.

Soon blazed the brushwood,

and the arid fir,

the wind-dried wood,

before Völund.

10. On the bearskin sat,

his rings counted,

the Alfar´s companion:

one was missing.

He thought that Hlödver´s

daughter had it,

the young Alvit,

and that she was returned.

11. So long he sat

until he slept;

and he awoke

of joy bereft:

on his hands he felt

heavy constraints,

and round his feet

fetters clasped.

12. “Who are the men

that on the rings’ possessor

have laid bonds?

and me have bound?”

13. Then cried Nidud,

the Niarars’ lord:

“Whence gottest thou, Völund!

Alfars´chief![3]

our gold,

in Ulfdal?”

14. “No gold was here

in Grani’s path,[4]

far I thought our land

from the hills of Rhine.

I mind me that we more

treasures possessed,

when, a whole family,

we were at home.

15. Hladgud and Hervör

were of Hlödver born;

know was Ölrún,

Kiar´s daughter,

she entered

into the house,

stood on the floor,

her voice moderated:

“Now is he[5] not mirthful,

who from the forest comes.”

        King Nidud gave to his daughter Bödvild the ring which had been taken from the bast in Völund´s house; but he himself bore the sword that had belonged to Völund. The queen said:

16. His teeth he shows,

when the sword he sees,

and Bödvild´s ring

he recognizes:

threatening are his eyes

as a glistening serpent’s:

let be severed

his sinews’ strength;

and set him then

in Sævarstad.

        This was done; he was hamstrung and then set on a certain small island near the shore, called Sævarstad. He there forged for the king all kinds of jewellery work. No one was allowed to go to him, except the king. Völund said:

17. “The sword shines

in Nidud’s belt,

which I whetted

as I could most skilfully,

and tempered,

as seemed to me most cunningly.

That bright blade for ever is

taken from me:

never shall I see it

borne into Völund’s smithy.

18. Now Bödvild wears

my consort´s

red-gold rings:[6]

for this I have no indemnity.”

He sat and never slept,

and his hammer plied;

but much more speedy vengeance

devised on Nidud.

19. The two young sons

of Nidud ran

in at the door to look,

in Sævarstad.

To the chest they came,

for the keys asked;

manifest was their grudge,

when therein they looked.

20. Many necklaces were there,

which to those youths appeared

of the red gold to be,

and treasures.

“Come ye two alone,

to-morrow come;

that gold shall

be given to you.

21. Tell it not to the maidens,

nor to the household folk,

nor to any one,

that ye have been with me.”

Early called

one the other,

brother, brother:

“Let us go see the rings.”

22. To the chest they came,

for the keys asked;

manifest was their grudge,

when therein they looked.

Of those children[7] he

the heads cut off,

and under the prison’s mixen

laid their bodies.[8]

23. But their skulls

beneath the hair

he in silver set,

and to Nidud gave;

and of their eyes

precious stones he formed,

which to Nidud’s

wily wife he sent.

24. But of the teeth

of the two

breast-ornaments he made,

and to Bödvild sent.

Then did Bödvild

praise the ring:

to Völund brought it,

when she had broken it:

“I dare to no one tell it,

save alone to thee.”

Völund

25. “I will so repair

the fractured gold,

that to thy father

it shall fairer seem,

and to thy mother

much more beautiful,

and to thyself,

in the same degree.”

26. He then brought her beer,

that he might succeed the better,

as on her seat

she fell asleep.

“Now have I

my wrongs avenged,

all save one

in the wood perpetrated.”[9]

27. “I wish,” said Völund,

“that on my feet I were,

of the use of which

Nidud’s men have deprived me.”

Laughing Völund

rose in the air:

Bödvild weeping

from the isle departed.

She mourned her lover’s absence,

and for her father’s wrath.

28. Stood without

Nidud’s wily wife;

then she went in

through the hall;

but he on the enclosure

sat down to rest.

“Art thou awake

Niarars’ lord!”

29. “Ever am I awake,

joyless I lie to rest,

when I call to mind

my children’s death:

my head is chilled,

cold are to me thy counsels.

Now with Völund

I desire to speak.”

30. “Tell me, Völund,

Alfars’ chief!

of my brave boys

what is become?”

31. “Oaths shalt thou

first to me swear,

by board of ship,

by rim of shield,

by shoulder of steed,

by edge of sword,

that thou wilt not slay

the wife of Völund,

nor of my bride

cause the death;

although a wife I have

whom ye know,

or offspring

within thy court.

32. To the smithy go,

which thou has made,

there wilt thou the bellows find

with blood besprinkled.

The heads I severed

of thy boys,

and under the prison’s mixen

laid their bodies.

33. But their skulls

beneath the hair

I in silver set,

and to Nidud gave;

and of their eyes

precious stones I formed,

which to Nidud’s

wily wife I sent.

34. Of the teeth

of the two,

breast-ornaments I made,

and to Bödvild sent.

Now Bödvild goes

big with child,

the only daughter

of you both.”

35. “Word didst thou never speak

that more afflicted me,

or for which I would

more severely punish thee.

There is no man so tall

that he from thy horse can take thee,

or so skilful

that he can shoot thee down,

thence where thou floatest

up in the sky.”

36. Laughing Völund

rose in air,

but Nidud sad

remained sitting.

37. “Rise up Thakrád,

my best of thralls!

bid Bödvild,

my fair-browed daughter,

in bright attire come,

with her sire to speak.

38. Is it, Bödvild! true

what has been told to me,

that thou and Völund

in the isle together sat?”

39. “True it is, Nidud!

what has been told to thee,

that Völund and I

in the isle together sat,

in an unlucky hour:

would it had never been!

I could not

against him strive,

I might not

against him prevail.”