87] that young shoots had
fallen, which I wished to let grow: torn up with their roots, reddened
with blood, to table they were brought, and offered me to eat.

40. "Seemed to me that hawks flew from my hand, lacking their
quarry, to the house of woes; seemed to me I ate their hearts with
honey swollen with blood, with sorrowing mind.

41. "Seemed to me from my hand whelps I let slip; lacking cause of
joy, both of them howled: seemed to me their bodies became dead
carcases: of the carrion I was compelled to eat."

42. "There will warriors[88] round thy couch converse, and of the
white-locked ones take off the head; death-doomed they are within a
few nights, a little ere day: thy court will eat of them."

43. "Lie down I would not,[89] nor sleep after, obstinate in my
fate--That I will execute!"

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 82: That is the long fish of the heath, or Ung, a snake or
serpent.]

[Footnote 83: Soot.]

[Footnote 84: Atli: Grimhild speaks.]

[Footnote 85: Atli speaks.]

[Footnote 86: Gudrun answers.]

[Footnote 87: Atli speaks.]

[Footnote 88: Gudrun answers.]

[Footnote 89: Atll speaks.]

THE THIRD LAY OF GUDRUN.

Atli had a serving-woman named Herkia,[90] who had been his concubine.
She informed Atli that she had seen Thiodrek and Gudrun together;
whereat Atli was much afflicted. Then Gudrun said:

1. What ails thee ever, Atli! Budli's son! Hast thou sorrow in thy
heart? Why never laughest thou? To thy jarls it would seem more
desirable, that thou with men wouldst talk, and on me wouldst look.

_Atli_.

2. It grieves me, Gudrun! Giuki's daughter! that in my palace here,
Herkia has said, that thou and Thiodrek have under one covering slept,
and wantonly been in the linen wrapt.

_Gudrun_.

3. For all this charge I will give my oaths by the white sacred
stone, that with me and Thiodrek nothing has passed, which to man and
wife only belongs;

4. Save that I embraced the prince of armies, the honoured king, a
single time. Other were our cogitations, when sorrowful we two sat to
converse.

5. Hither came Thiodrek, with thirty warriors; now there lives not
one of those thirty men. Surround me with thy brothers, and with
mailed warriors; surround me with all thy noblest kinsmen.

6. Send to Saxi the Southmen's prince; he can hallow the boiling
cauldron."

7. Seven hundred men entered the hall, ere in the cauldron the queen
dipt her hand.

8. "Now Gunnar comes not, nor call I Hog