Frumtexti: „Grípisspá“

"Hverr byggir hér
borgir þessar?
Hvat þann þjóðkonung
þegnar nefna?"
Geitir kvað:
"Grípir heitir
gumna stóri,
sá er fastri ræðr
foldu ok þegnum."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Er horskr konungr
heima í landi?
Mun sá gramr við mik
ganga at mæla?
Máls er þarfi
maðr ókunnigr,
vil ek fljótliga
finna Grípi."
Geitir kvað:

"Þess mun glaðr konungr
Geiti spyrja,
hverr sá maðr sé,
er máls kveðr Grípi."
Sigurðr kvað:
"Sigurðr ek heiti,
borinn Sigmundi,
en Hjördís er
hilmis móðir."

Þá gekk Geitir
Grípi at segja;
"Hér er maðr úti
ókuðr kominn;
hann er ítarligr
at áliti;
sá vill, fylkir,
fund þinn hafa."

Gengr ór skála
skatna dróttinn
ok heilsar vel
hilmi komnum:
"þiggðu hér, Sigurðr,
væri sæmra fyrr,
en þú, Geitir, tak
við Grana sjalfum."

Mæla námu
ok margt hjala
þá er ráðspakir
rekkar fundusk.
Sigurðr kvað:
"Segðu mér, ef þú veizt,
móðurbróðir:
Hvé mun Sigurði
snúna ævi."
Grípir kvað:

"Þú munt maðr vera
mæztr und sólu
ok hæstr borinn
hverjum jöfri,
gjöfull af gulli,
en glöggr flugar,
ítr áliti
ok í orðum spakr."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Segðu, gegn konungr,
gerr en ek spyrja,
snotr, Sigurði,
ef þú sjá þykkisk:
Hvat mun fyrst gerask
til farnaðar,
þá er ór garði emk
genginn þínum?"
Grípir kvað:

"Fyrst muntu, fylkir,
föður of hefna,
ok Eylima
alls harms reka;
þú munt harða
Hundings sonu
snjalla fella,
muntu sigr hafa."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Segðu, ítr konungr,
ættingi, mér
heldr horskliga,
er vit hugat mælum:
Sér þú Sigurðar
snör brögð fyrir,
þau er hæst fara
und himinskautum?"
Grípir kvað:

"Muntu einn vega
orm inn frána,
þann er gráðugr liggr
á Gnitaheiði;
þú munt báðum
at bana verða
Regin ok Fáfni,
rétt segir Grípir."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Auðr mun ærinn,
ef ek eflik svá
víg með virðum,
sem víst segir;
leið at huga
ok lengra seg:
Hvat mun enn vera
ævi minnar?"
Grípir kvað:

"Þú munt finna
Fáfnis bæli
ok upp taka
auð inn fagra,
gulli hlæða
á Grana bógu;
ríðr þú til Gjúka,
gramr vígrisinn."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Enn skaltu hilmi
í hugaðsræðu,
framlyndr jöfurr,
fleira segja.
Gestr em ek Gjúka
ok ek geng þaðan,
hvat mun enn vera
ævi minnar?"
Grípir kvað:

"Sefr á fjalli
fylkis dóttir
björt í brynju
eftir bana Helga;
þú munt höggva
hvössu sverði,
brynju rísta
með bana Fáfnis."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Brotin er brynja,
brúðr mæla tekr,
er vaknaði
víf ór svefni.
Hvat mun snót at heldr
við Sigurð mæla,
þat er at farnaði
fylki verði?"
Grípir kvað:

"Hon mun ríkjum þér
rúnar kenna,
allar þær er aldir
eignask vildu,
ok á manns tungu
mæla hverja,
líf með lækning;
lifðu heill, konungr."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Nú er því lokit,
numin eru fræði
ok em braut þaðan
búinn at ríða,
leið at huga
ok lengra seg:
Hvat mun meir vera
minnar ævi?"
Grípir kvað:

"Þú munt hitta
Heimis byggðir
ok glaðr vera
gestr þjóðkonungs;
farit er, Sigurðr,
þats ek fyrir vissak,
skal-a fremr en svá
fregna Grípi."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Nú fær mér ekka
orð þatstu mæltir,
því at þú fram of sér
fylkir, lengra;
veiztu ofmikit
angr Sigurði,
því þú, Grípir, þat
gerr-a segja."
Grípir kvað:

"Lá mér um æsku
ævi þinnar
ljósast fyrir
líta eftir;
rétt em ek
ráðspakr taliðr
né in heldr framvíss,
farit þats ek vissak."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Mann veit ek engi
fyr mold ofan,
þann er fleira sé
fram en þú, Grípir;
skal-at-tu leyna,
þótt ljót séi,
eða mein gerisk
á mínum hag."
Grípir kvað:

"Er-a með löstum
lögð ævi þér,
láttu, inn ítri, þat,
öðlingr, nemask,
því at uppi mun,
meðan öld lifir,
naddéls boði,
nafn þitt vera."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Verst hyggjum því,
verðr at skiljask
Sigurðr við fylki
at sógöru;
leið vísa þú,
- lagt er allt fyrir -
mærr, mér, ef þú vilt,
móðurbróðir."
Grípir kvað:

"Nú skal Sigurði
segja görva,
alls þengill mik
til þess neyðir;
muntu víst vita
at vætki lýgr;
dægr eitt er þér
dauði ætlaðr."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Vilk-at ek reiði
ríks þjóðkonungs,
góð ráð at heldr
Grípis þiggja;
nú vill víst vita,
þótt viltki sé,
hvat á sýnt Sigurðr
sér fyr höndum."
Grípir kvað:

"Fljóð er at Heimis
fagrt álitum,
hana Brynhildi
bragnar nefna,
dóttir Buðla,
en dýrr konungr
harðugðigt man
Heimir fæðir."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Hvat er mik at því,
þótt mær séi
fögr áliti
fædd at Heimis?
Þat skaltu, Grípir,
görva segja,
því at þú öll of sér
örlög fyrir."
Grípir kvað:

"Hon firrir þik
flestu gamni,
fögr áliti,
fóstra Heimis,
svefn þú né sefr
né of sakar dæmir,
gár-a þú manna
nema þú mey séir."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Hvat mun til líkna
lagt Sigurði?
Segðu, Grípir, þat,
ef þú sjá þykkisk:
Mun ek mey ná
mundi kaupa,
þá ina fögru
fylkis dóttur?"
Grípir kvað:

"It munuð alla
eiða vinna
fullfastliga,
fá munuð halda;
verit hefr þú Gjúka
gestr eina nótt,
mant-at-tu horska
Heimis fóstru."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Hvat er þá, Grípir,
get þú þess fyr mér,
sér þú geðleysi
í grams skapi,
er ek skal við mey þá
málum slíta,
er ek alls hugar
unna þóttumk."
Grípir kvað:

"Þú verðr, siklingr,
fyr svikum annars,
muntu Grímhildar
gjalda ráða,
mun bjóða þér
bjarthaddat man
dóttur sína,
dregr hon vél at gram."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Mun ek við þá Gunnar
görva hleyti
ok Guðrúnu
ganga at eiga?
Fullkvæni þá
fylkir væri,
ef meintregar
mér angraði-t."
Grípir kvað:

"Þik mun Grímhildr
görva véla,
mun hon Brynhildar
biðja fýsa
Gunnari til handa,
Gotna dróttni,
heitr þú fjótliga för
fylkis móður."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Mein eru fyr höndum,
má ek líta þat;
ratar görliga
ráð Sigurðar,
ef ek skal mærrar
meyjar biðja
öðrum til handa,
þeirar ek unna vel."
Grípir kvað:

"Ér munuð allir
eiða vinna
Gunnar ok Högni,
en þú, gramr, þriði;
þá it litum víxlið,
er á leið eruð,
Gunnar ok þú;
Grípir lýgr eigi."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Hví gegnir þat?
Hví skulum skipta
litum ok látum,
er á leið erum?
Þar mun fláræði
fylgja annat
atalt með öllu;
enn segðu, Grípir."
Grípir kvað:

"Lit hefir þú Gunnars
ok læti hans,
mælsku þína
ok meginhyggjur;
muntu fastna þér
framlundaða
fóstru Heimis,
sér vætr fyr því."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Verst hyggjum því,
vándr munk heitinn
Sigurðr með seggjum
at sógöru;
vilda ek eigi
vélum beita
jöfra brúði,
er ek æðsta veitk."
Grípir kvað:

"Þú munt hvíla,
hers oddviti
mærr, hjá meyju
sem þín móðir sé;
því mun uppi,
meðan öld lifir,
þjóðar þengill,
þitt nafn vera."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Mun góða kván
Gunnarr eiga,
mærr með mönnum,
- mér segðu, Grípir, -
þótt hafi þrjár nætr
þegns brúðr hjá mér
snarlynd sofit?
Slíks eru-t dæmi."
Grípir kvað:

"Saman munu brullup
bæði drukkin
Sigurðar ok Gunnars
í sölum Gjúka;
þá hömum víxlið,
er it heim komið;
hefr hvárr fyr því
hyggju sína."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Hvé mun at ynði
eftir verða
mægð með mönnum?
Mér segðu, Grípir.
Mun Gunnari
til gamans ráðit
síðan verða
eða sjalfum mér?"
Grípir kvað:

"Minnir þik eiða,
máttu þegja þó,
anntu Guðrúnu
góðra ráða;
en Brynhildr þykkisk
brúðr vargefin,
snót fiðr vélar
sér at hefndum."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Hvat mun at bótum
brúðr sú taka,
er vélar vér
vífi gerðum?
Hefir snót af mér
svarna eiða
enga efnda,
en unað lítit."
Grípir kvað:

"Mun hon Gunnari
görva segja,
at þú eigi vel
eiðum þyrmðir,
þá er ítr konungr
af öllum hug,
Gjúka arfi,
á gram trúði."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Hvat er þá, Grípir,
get þú þess fyr mér,
mun ek saðr vera
at sögu þeiri,
eða lýgr á mik
lofsæl kona
ok á sjalfa sik?
Segðu, Grípir, þat."
Grípir kvað:

"Mun fyr reiði
rík brúðr við þik
né af oftrega
allvel skipa;
viðr þú góðri
grand aldrigi,
þó ér víf konungs
vélum beittuð."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Mun horskr Gunnarr
at hvötun hennar
Gutþormr ok Högni
ganga síðan?
Munu synir Gjúka
á sifjugum mér
eggjar rjóða?
Enn segðu, Grípir."
Grípir kvað:

"Þá er Guðrúnu
grimmt um hjarta;
bræðr hennar
þér til bana ráða,
ok at engu verðr
ynði síðan
vitru vífi;
veldr því Grímhildr.

Því skal hugga þik,
hers oddviti,
sú mun gift lagið
á grams ævi:
Mun-at mætri maðr
á mold koma
und sólar sjöt,
en þú, Sigurðr, þykkir."
Sigurðr kvað:

"Skiljumk heilir,
mun-at sköpum vinna.
Nú hefir þú, Grípir, vel
gört sem ek beiddak.
Fljótt myndir þú
fríðri segja
mína ævi,
ef þú mættir þat."

"Who is it has this dwelling here,
Or what do men call the people's king?"
Geitir spake:
"Gripir the name of the chieftain good
Who holds the folk and the firm-ruled land."

Sigurth spake: 2.
"Is the king all-knowing now within,
Will the monarch come with me to speak?
A man unknown his counsel needs,
And Gripir fain I soon would find."

Geitir spake: 3.
"The ruler glad of Geitir will ask
Who seeks with Gripir speech to have."

Sigurth spake:
"Sigurth am I, and Sigmund's son,
And Hjordis the name of the hero's mother."

Then Geitir went and to Gripir spake:
"A stranger comes and stands without;
Lofty he is to look upon,
And, prince, thyself he fain would see."

From the hall the ruler of heroes went, And greeted well the warrior come:
"Sigurth, welcome long since had been thine;
Now, Geitir, shalt thou Grani take."

Then of many things they talked,
When thus the men so wise had met.

Sigurth spake:
"To me, if thou knowest, my mother's brother,
Say what life will Sigurth's be."

Gripir spake: 7.
"Of men thou shalt be on earth the mightiest,
And higher famed than all the heroes;
Free of gold-giving, slow to flee,
Noble to see, and sage in speech."

Sigurth spake: 8.
"Monarch wise, now more I ask;
To Sigurth say, if thou thinkest to see,
What first will chance of my fortune fair,
When hence I go from out thy home?"

Gripir spake: 9.
"First shalt thou, prince, thy father avenge,
And Eylimi, their ills requiting; The hardy sons of Hunding thou
Soon shalt fell, and victory find."

Sigurth spake: 10.
"Noble king, my kinsman, say
Thy meaning true, for our minds we speak:
For Sigurth mighty deeds dost see,
The highest beneath the heavens all?"

Gripir spake: 11.
"The fiery dragon alone thou shalt fight
That greedy lies at Gnitaheith;
Thou shalt be of Regin and Fafnir both
The slayer; truth doth Gripir tell thee."

Sigurth spake: 12.
"Rich shall I be if battles I win
With such as these, as now thou sayest;
Forward look, and further tell:
What the life that I shall lead?"

Gripir spake: 13.
"Fafnir's den thou then shalt find,
And all his treasure fair shalt take; Gold shalt heap on Grani's back,
And, proved in fight, to Gjuki fare."

Sigurth spake: 14.
"To the warrior now in words so wise,
Monarch noble, more shalt tell;
I am Gjuki's guest, and thence I go:
What the life that I shall lead?"

Gripir spake: 15.
"On the rocks there sleeps the ruler's daughter,
Fair in armor, since Helgi fell;
Thou shalt cut with keen-edged sword,
And cleave the byrnie with Fafnir's killer."

Sigurth spake: 16.
"The mail-coat is broken, the maiden speaks,
The woman who from sleep has wakened;
What says the maid to Sigurth then
That happy fate to the hero brings?"

Gripir spake: 17.
"Runes to the warrior will she tell,
All that men may ever seek,
And teach thee to speak in all men's tongues,
And life with health; thou'rt happy, king!"

Sigurth spake: 18.
"Now is it ended, the knowledge is won,
And ready I am forth thence to ride;
Forward look and further tell:
What the life that I shall lead?"

Gripir spake: 19.
"Then to Heimir's home thou comest,
And glad shalt be the guest of the king; Ended, Sigurth, is all I see,
No further aught of Gripir ask."

Sigurth spake: 20.
"Sorrow brings me the word thou sayest,
For, monarch, forward further thou seest;
Sad the grief for Sigurth thou knowest,
Yet nought to me, Gripir, known wilt make."

Gripir spake: 21.
"Before me lay in clearest light
All of thy youth for mine eyes to see;
Not rightly can I wise be called,
Nor forward-seeing; my wisdom is fled."

Sigurth spake: 22.
"No man, Gripir, on earth I know
Who sees the future as far as thou;
Hide thou nought, though hard it be,
And base the deeds that I shall do."

Gripir spake: 23.
"With baseness never thy life is burdened, Hero noble, hold that sure;
Lofty as long as the world shall live,
Battle-bringer, thy name shall be."

Sigurth spake: 24.
"Nought could seem worse, but now must part
The prince and Sigurth, since so it is;
My road I ask,— the future lies open,—
Mighty one, speak, my mother's brother."

Gripir spake: 25.
"Now to Sigurth all shall I say,
For to this the warrior bends my will;
Thou knowest well that I will not lie,—
A day there is when thy death is doomed."

Sigurth spake: 26.
"No scorn I know for the noble king,
But counsel good from Gripir I seek;
Well will I know, though evil awaits,
What Sigurth may before him see."

Gripir spake: 27.
"A maid in Heimir's home there dwells,
Brynhild her name to men is known,
Daughter of Buthli, the doughty king,
And Heimir fosters the fearless maid."

Sigurth spake: 28.
"What is it to me, though the maiden be
So fair, and of Heimir the fosterling is?
Gripir, truth to me shalt tell,
For all of fate before me thou seest."

Gripir spake: 29.
"Of many a joy the maiden robs thee,
Fair to see, whom Heimir fosters;
Sleep thou shalt find not, feuds thou shalt end not,
Nor seek out men, if the maid thou seest not."

Sigurth spake: 30.
"What may be had for Sigurth's healing?
Say now, Gripir, if see thou canst;
May I buy the maid with the marriage-price,
The daughter fair of the chieftain famed?"

Gripir spake: 31.
"Ye twain shall all the oaths then swear
That bind full fast; few shall ye keep;
One night when Gjuki's guest thou hast been,
Will Heimir's fosterling fade from thy mind."

Sigurth spake: 32.
"What sayst thou, Gripir? give me the truth,
Does fickleness hide in the hero's heart?
Can it be that troth I break with the maid,
With her I believed I loved so dear?"

Gripir spake: 33.
"Tricked by another, prince, thou art,
And the price of Grimhild's wiles thou must pay;
Fain of thee for the fair-haired maid,
Her daughter, she is, and she drags thee down."

Sigurth spake: 34.
"Might I with Gunnar kinship make,
And Guthrun win to be my wife,
Well the hero wedded would be,
If my treacherous deed would trouble me not."

Gripir spake: 35.
"Wholly Grimhild thy heart deceives,
She will bid thee go and Brynhild woo
For Gunnar's wife, the lord of the Goths;
And the prince's mother thy promise shall win."

Sigurth spake: 36.
"Evil waits me, well I see it,
And gone is Sigurth's wisdom good,
If I shall woo for another to win
The maiden fair that so fondly I loved."

Gripir spake: 37.
"Ye three shall all the oaths then take,
Gunnar and Hogni, and, hero, thou;
Your forms ye shall change, as forth ye fare,
Gunnar and thou; for Gripir lies not."

Sigurth spake: 38.
"How meanest thou? Why make we the change
Of shape and form as forth we fare?
There must follow another falsehood
Grim in all ways; speak on, Gripir!"

Gripir spake: 39.
"The form of Gunnar and shape thou gettest,
But mind and voice thine own remain;
The hand of the fosterling noble of Heimir
Now dost thou win, and none can prevent."

Sigurth spake: 40.
"Most evil it seems, and men will say
Base is Sigurth that so he did;
Not of my will shall I cheat with wiles
The heroes' maiden whom noblest I hold."

Gripir spake: 41.
"Thou dwellest, leader lofty of men,
With the maid as if thy mother she were;
Lofty as long as the world shall live,
Ruler of men, thy name shall remain."

Sigurth spake: 42.
"Shall Gunnar have a goodly wife,
Famed among men,— speak forth now, Gripir!
Although at my side three nights she slept,
The warrior's bride? Such ne'er has been."

Gripir spake: 43.
"The marriage draught will be drunk for both,
For Sigurth and Gunnar, in Gjuki's hall;
Your forms ye change, when home ye fare,
But the mind of each to himself remains."

Sigurth spake: 44.
"Shall the kinship new thereafter come
To good among us? Tell me, Gripir!
To Gunnar joy shall it later give,
Or happiness send for me myself?"

Gripir spake: 45.
"Thine oaths remembering, silent thou art,
And dwellest with Guthrun in wedlock good;
But Brynhild shall deem she is badly mated,
And wiles she seeks, herself to avenge."

Sigurth spake: 46.
"What may for the bride requital be,
The wife we won with subtle wiles?
From me she has the oaths I made,
And kept not long; they gladdened her little."

Gripir spake: 47.
"To Gunnar soon his bride will say
That ill didst thou thine oath fulfill,
When the goodly king, the son of Gjuki,
With all his heart the hero trusted."

Sigurth spake: 48.
"What sayst thou, Gripir? give me the truth!
Am I guilty so as now is said, Or lies does the far-famed queen put forth
Of me and herself? Yet further speak."

Gripir spake: 49.
"In wrath and grief full little good
The noble bride shall work thee now;
No shame thou gavest the goodly one,
Though the monarch's wife with wiles didst cheat."

Sigurth spake: 50.
"Shall Gunnar the wise to the woman's words,
And Gotthorm and Hogni, then give heed?
Shall Gjuki's sons, now tell me, Gripir,
Redden their blades with their kinsman's blood?"

Gripir spake: 51.
"Heavy it lies on Guthrun's heart,
When her brothers all shall bring thee death;
Never again shall she happiness know,
The woman so fair; 'tis Grimhild's work."

Sigurth spake: 52.
"Now fare thee well! our fates we shun not;
And well has Gripir answered my wish;
More of joy to me wouldst tell
Of my life to come if so thou couldst."

Gripir spake: 53.
"Ever remember, ruler of men,
That fortune lies in the hero's life;
A nobler man shall never live
Beneath the sun than Sigurth shall seem."